


TDemons

by UPN20



Category: Tokyo Demons Series - Lianne Sentar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2018-08-11 17:26:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7901386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UPN20/pseuds/UPN20
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Nineties "English Dub" of Tokyo Demons</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Note: This will not be a word for word retelling of the first chapters. Also since it is implied this is the animated dub version of the story logically much less effort will go into description because it makes sense and not because the fanfic author is not as good at description. >:D It will not cover everything it may jump around since the intention is not to rewrite a 412 page book. Though at first just to get going since things are being established it'll probably align pretty closely. 

Opening Theme:

“Have you everrrrrr....  
Wanted to soar like Bees!  
Let yourself goooooooo...  
and fly fly fly!!!!  
Friendship will protect you from the daaaaarkness at hand.  
TDemons...protect the laaahaannand!!!”

 

Episode 1

It was a darkened room. The figure moved in shadow carefully lining up cards in order, sometimes shifting them, sometime adjusting them as they piled up in certain places. Finally, he placed the last card.  
“The gateway...” he said quietly. “I will find him.” 

 

Elsewhere a clock radio blasted The Spice Girls throughout the room.  
Aya Watson glared at it and knocked the the clock switch off as she tried to get dressed and not fall out of bed.  
“I don't want to be late for the first day of high school!” she said conveying exposition and finished putting on her uniform, stuffing her money and keys into her pocket, and heading out the door. “It will be ok,” she told herself.

Elsewherer.  
“Olsen?” came a voice.  
Joe growled and refused to awaken as the owner of the voice shook him.  
“Olsen?”  
“I'm dreaming about Mexico, such good beaches...” Joe muttered.  
“Olsen? Hey!”  
“Go away,” Joe replied. “Or else I'll punch you.”  
The shaking stopped.  
“Um, I'm your roommate. Class is in twenty minutes,” the voice said from further away. “You wanna get detention?”  
Joe realized he was awake but didn't rise from the pillow for a moment. He finally looked over at his roommate who he had barely met.  
“You ok Joe?” he asked. “You want some fruit juice?”  
“Not now,” Joe muttered.  
“I'm not going to be late,” his roommate said and left.  
“Dang it,” Joe muttered and sat up slowly. He pulled a small stick from under his pillow and stuck it in his mouth.  
“7 am classes,” he muttered impossibly with the stick in his mouth. He pulled it free. “Thank goodness for sticks filled with sugar. Where the heck is my wallet?”  
He rummaged through a dresser and removed it.  
“Wouldn't want to lose this.” 

Aya had just gotten into the hallway when a male student collided with her knocking her into another student, who yelped. Aya for her part held it together as her books tumbled to the floor. The original accidental assailant turned and and spun.  
“Oh no, sorry, sorry, you ok!” he said reaching out and brushing against her forehead.  
“I'm fine,” she murmured. “Watch the hands.”  
The boy pulled his hands back and smiled.  
“Sorry, first day jitters.”  
Aya shrugged, collected herself and headed into the classroom nearly colliding with another boy standing taller than she was.  
“Welcome,” he said.  
“Uh hi,” Aya said. “This is room 123?”  
“It is,” the boy answered. “You find a seat yet?”  
“Nope.”  
“What's your name by the way?”  
“Aya Watson.”  
“Aya Watson! May I sit next to you?”  
“Uh...sure...” she said sitting and finding he soon sat beside her smiling broadly.  
“By the way, I'm Zach,” he said. “I am all about helping, so if you need helping lemme know. I'm the helpmeister.”  
“Helpmeister...” Aya repeated weakly.  
“Zach is probably better...”  
Aya slumped.  
“Ya ok? Stay up late watching Letterman?” Zach asked.  
“Fine...er...Letterman..never...just tired.”  
“Still time to get a few more seconds of sleep,” Zach said bounding up to greet other students.  
Aya did find herself drifting off only to be interrupted by a loud bang.  
“Guten tag!” came the shout of their middle aged teacher who had just slammed the door and placed a bag on the desk.  
“I am Ms. Heins. Talk now. The bell rings soon,” the teacher commanded in a thick unnecessary accent.  
Aya found herself looking right into the eyes of a bug that had perched on her desk. She swatted it and looked around. The first bell rang.

 

The sugar hadn't kicked in yet as Joe looked around from the back of the classroom. He had sat there in the hopes of not being near anyone.  
“Welcome to Fernhaven High School!” Heins announced. “This is a homeroom period. You know how that goes. Behave yourselves and study and we'll have no problems.”  
With that the teacher left. Joe realized that getting only two hours of sleep was not working out, but he scanned the room noticing a quiet boy who was staring blankly ahead with his hands in his lap.  
“Hey, you see the game last night?” Joe asked.  
The boy didn't reply.  
“Hey McFly, hello? Hello?” Joe continued using an ill advised cliché. The boy blinked and looked over at Joe, stared briefly but then returned to staring at the desk.  
“Never mind,” Joe said.  
What's his deal? Joe thought to himself and headed to a different part of the room.  
“Hey, dude and dudette,” he said approaching a pair nearby who happened to be Aya and Zach.  
They greeted him weakly as Joe sat down nearby.  
Weird day so far. Joe thought staring ahead as if life had momentarily frozen unpredictably.

 

Aya had had a weird day. The time passed like a montage of different classes and strange teachers.  
“Sacrebleu! Where is my lesson plan!!!!” her angry befuddled French teacher had exclaimed.  
“We will...do...the algebra...now...I think...” her math teacher had stammered.  
“Greece lost the war for the same reason I lost my wife...Did I have a wife?” her classics teacher recounted.  
Lunch was a welcome respite form the failures of the educational system.  
“You bring lunch?” Zach asked sliding alongside her.  
“No...I...no...”  
“I'm looking forward to some honey ham,” Zach mused.  
“Honey!? Ahem...I'll find it myself,” she stammered and hurried off only relaxing after she got away.  
What is with that guy? She thought.  
Eventually she made it to the Cafeteria and stood in front of a vending machine. She requested a sandwich and headed for the sports drink machine.  
“BLUE? I WANTED RED,” she muttered as the result of her purchase arrived.  
“Want MILK?” a student said beside her.  
“I'm fine...it's fine.”  
“Hey...you look cute,” the student said with a mischievous grin.  
“Can you not?” Aya said backing off quickly as if life as an improvised cut scene.  
“What...hey...just talking.”  
A tall upperclassman appeared seemingly out of nowhere.  
“Steve, you must treat women with respect,” he said calmly but threateningly.  
“It's all good it's all good,” the boy said.  
The upperclassman snapped his gloved fingers.  
“AAHHHHHHH” the boy exclaimed and hurried off.  
“He left his milk,” Aya said picking it up.  
“Not all men are like him,” the upperclassman said. “But too many are. It is wise to be cautious. This school is...”  
Aya noticed a group of students listening to loud music and dancing at one of the tables.  
“...an experience,” the upperclassman finished.  
“Uh thanks,” Aya said and escaped into the hallway.  
“What is this school?” she muttered as she dragged herself down the hallway.

 

Joe meanwhile was in the bathroom. He sat in a stall muttering to himself.  
“Weird school, weird people, weird everything,” he murmured and then sucked down some sugar.  
“YOOOOOOOOOOOO!” came a voice. “Anyone in the stall yo?”  
“Get lost,” Joe snapped.  
“I smell sugar,” the other replied.  
“I smell loser,” Joe retorted.  
“Yo, look... I got like no sleep man, I was out playing stick hockey all night.”  
“If I give you some sugar will you leave me alone?” Joe asked.  
“Totally.”  
Joe tossed a sugar stick out of the stall.  
“AH YEAH,” the kid replied.  
Joe sighed. 

When he got back into the hallway he was so distracted he collided with a girl.  
“Sorry!” she exclaimed. Joe's eyes turned towards her and he found himself enraptured.  
“Can I help you?” she spat.  
Joe smiled. “Maybe I can help you?”  
She blew him a kiss and flew down the hallway. Joe breathed.  
Hold it together Olson. He thought. But she is gorgeous.  
He returned to his classroom amidst the various cacophony of student conversations.  
“I think Britney is better than Christina!”  
“Fallen Empires was the best Magic:The Gathering expansion.”  
“I heard there's this thing called Y2K.”  
Joe ignored the nonsense but noted that the spiky haired Zach was still talking to a seemingly unsure Aya.  
“So the cafe opens at five, have you ever gone to a juice cafe Aya?”  
“I haven't. What is a juice cafe?”  
“It's for teenagers. No alcohol, just great juice! It's FANTASTIC!”  
“Oh.”  
“Do you like to dance?”  
“I don't really dance.”  
“Do you have any friends around here?” Zach persisted.  
“No I was an orphan, it's hard to make friends.”  
“Oh yeah I was a foster kid, a lot of my friends didn't go to this school.”  
Joe took little interest in the conversation except to note that there are a lot of orphans.  
“We should be friends!” Zach said.  
“Uh...ok...” Aya said.  
Joe wandered up.  
“Heyyyyyy,” he said.  
“Didn't get your name earlier Chief,” Zach said.  
“Joe. Aya and Zach right?”  
“Right,” the two answered.  
“Where you from Joe?” Zach asked.  
“Huh? Oh...Akron,” Joe said.  
“You live in the dorms?” Zach asked.  
“Yeah. Hey that juice cafe, where is it exactly?”  
“You interested?” Zach asked.  
“I like to party,” Joe responded.  
“It's down in Woodville,” Zach said referring to the absurdly generic neighborhood.  
“You should come,” Zach added.  
“Uh..sure,” Joe agreed.  
“How about you Aya?”  
“Uh...oh fine..” she murmured.  
“Nature calls,” Joe said and bounced up.  
“See you later,” Zach said. “Hey do you have a roommate?”  
“Yeah...” Joe answered.  
“What's his name?”  
“Um...Gator Ocean or something...” Joe said.  
“Kai Ocean?” Zach asked in realization.  
“Yeah, that's it.”  
“Can you bring him? I haven't seen him in...”  
“You got it,” Joe muttered and headed out.

Hours later.  
“You ready to go?” Zach asked as Aya approached in a casual outfit. “You look nice.”  
“It's a t-shirt,” Aya muttered.  
“T-shirts look nice. I like t-shirts,” Zach declared. “Sorry...I'm just...I like people...”  
Joe and the kid who had attempted in vain to get him out of bed rounded a corner.  
“Kai Ocean!” Zach cried.  
“Zach!” the roommate answered.  
They ran together and bumped fists.  
“Masculinity!” they both shouted.  
“So where we going?” Kai Ocean asked.  
“Kaemart. That new cafe in Woodville,” Zach said.  
“A cafe? I can't dance! JOE! I can't dance!” Kai Ocean shouted.  
Joe sucked on a sugar stick and stood impressively in an all black outfit acquired from The Gap.  
“Yo, chill. Once the party starts you'll be fine,” Joe said.  
“Sugar is bad for you Joe,” Zach said.  
“You're missing out choir boy,” Joe said adjusting his Oakley sunglasses.  
Aya and Kai Ocean had since met eyes.  
“I'm Aya.”  
“I am Kai Ocean.”  
“I think we'll regret this,” Aya replied. 

The cafe was filled with teenagers listening to an unhealthy mix of grunge and techno dance music.  
“Joe, you look annoyed!” Zach said.  
“This music stinks,” Joe said.  
“I know, they don't even have Boyz II Men!”  
Joe scowled at Zach and melted into the crowd.  
“Now to find women,” he muttered to himself before colliding with an unexpected person. The quiet boy from before who was shaking visibly.  
“Hey? You ok?” Joe asked tapping him on the arm.  
“AH!” the boy exclaimed.  
“Hey is something wrong?” Joe asked.  
“Leave me alone,” the student hissed.  
“Hey wait,” Joe said following. The boy swung. Joe ducked but got hit on the chin allowing the puncher to escape into the crowd.  
“What a jerk,” Joe gasped.

Aya and Kai Ocean had been left alone in another part of the cafe and were unaware of the altercation.  
“Do you do sports Kai Ocean?”  
“Hmm?”  
“You have a Nike shirt, and Adidas pants.”  
“Oh...yeah I did Ultimate Frisbee, and Archery.”  
Aya paused. Kai Ocean chewed but then started choking on as Slim Jim.  
“Hey! You ok!” Aya shouted.  
Kai Ocean gasped.  
“Slim Jims always go down the wrong pipe. I'm going to get some water in the lavatory.”  
He stumbled away leaving her alone. She wandered the cafe.  
This just isn't my scene. She thought. I shouldn't be out around this many people either. Something could happen. It could happen!  
Twenty minutes passed with her awkwardly waiting.  
“Where is he?” She said in realization and headed for the bathrooms. She reached a deserted back hallway and approached the men's room. She knocked.  
“Kai Ocean?”  
Nothing was the response. She looked around the hallway realizing there was more to it. She headed down the hall towards the sound of voices behind a doorway.  
“This isn't part of the plan.”  
“I had to change it.”  
Aya paused.  
This is bad. She thought before a hand clapped over her mouth. She tensed and felt her body struggling.  
“No,” she mmphed into the hand before everything went black with a thud, her last sight was a small insect buzzing away as she collapsed. 

 

TDemons Talks:  
“Starting in a new school can be intimidating, but there are usually friendly people that you'll meet if you give it a chance!” Zach said. “Not everyone may like you but you'll usually find good people to hang out with.”  
“Hanging out with you got Aya hit with a wrench or something,” Joe added.  
“Uh...oh...well friendship comes with risk but it can be really special!” Zach replied. “See ya!”


	2. Episode 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for nothing.

Episode 2

“Hey everyone it's T.D. the talking demon, here to tell you what happened in Chapter 1! A bunch of new students started school and made some friends, but on a trip to a hip juice club Aya got whapped over the head and no one knows where she is. Stay tuned for Episode 2 of TDemons!” 

Opening Credits: (Which you can actually hear here sung by NeilaK20: https://soundcloud.com/s-elkins-1/tdemonsintro1mp3) 

“Have you everrrrrr....  
Wanted to soar like Bees!  
Let yourself goooooooo...  
and fly fly fly!!!!  
Friendship will protect you from the daaaaarkness at hand.  
TDemons...protect the laaahaannand!!!”

 

The figure stood in the darkness once again moving his note cards. 

“Fascinating how things could change so quickly,” he remarked and shifted them a few times. “Interesting, yes very interesting. They have no idea what is in store of them.” 

 

Joe sucked down some sugar and leaned against the bar.  
So many women here, so many possibilities. He thought. I'm surprised. The way Zach described this place I thought it would be totally lame.  
Zach in fact was waggling a bottle of carbonated juice in his face.  
“Can I buy you one? He asked.  
“Save your money,” Joe said. “I'm not impressed by people buying me things.”  
He put another sugar stick is his mouth. “Buy..whatsherface...Aya, one instead. She'll appreciate it. Where is she anyway?”  
“That's a good question. I haven't seen her...maybe she's with Kai Ocean”  
Joe sighed. “You have a lot to learn about getting a woman to like you...listen,” Joe continued before Zach could say more. “If you want to date someone you generally don't bring two better looking guys with you. Surely even you get that.”  
“Wait...wait...I'm not trying to date her.”  
“You're not?”  
“No.”  
“You've been flirting.”  
“A guy and a girl can be friends without dating ya know,” Zach said. “I'm treating her and you no differently!”  
“That could be taken different ways,” Joe said with frustration and sucked down more sugar as he scanned the dance floor.  
“Joe?” Zach asked after a time.  
“Yeah?”  
“Do you think Kai Ocean is good looking?”  
“Sure. Guy's a stud, but he also looks innocent, and kinda doofy. Very attractive.”  
“To like...Aya?”  
“Of course Aya, what else could I have meant in 1997!?” Joe snapped.  
“Oh,” Zach replied. “You seem to know so much about this sort of thing.”  
“Seem to? Watch and learn,” Joe declared confidently. 

 

Aya awoke and winced.  
“Owwww,” she said before realizing fairly quickly her hands were bound behind her in a relatively simplistic knot. Kai Ocean was unconscious and bound beside her in apparently a small enclosed locker or grain silo of some kind.  
“The techno music,” she whispered to herself realizing she could still hear it. “I'm in the club still,” she exposited.  
Kai Ocean stirred and Aya froze only to have her fellow captive mutter “May....” before apparently falling back to sleep.  
Good. I can get us out of this. She thought. 

 

Joe emerged from the women's bathroom and shook his head.  
“Was anyone in there?” Zach asked.  
“No one that minded!” Joe responded bluntly. “Look Kai probably stole her away.”  
“She wouldn't ditch me,” Zach said.  
“You don't know her Zach,” Joe snapped. “In fact you don't know women. Sometimes you bore them and they ditch, other times you can creep them out and they gotta go, and other times you end up making out in a locker accidentally.”  
Zach paused.  
“I just think she wouldn't ditch me,” he ventured.  
“Why not?”  
“Because she's not that kind of girl?!”  
“You don't know what kind of girl...”  
“I KNOW THINGS! THIIIINGS!” Zach snapped.  
“Ok thing boy,” Joe muttered.  
“Did you check the hallway?”  
“No, it's probably off limits.”  
Zach headed down the hall. Joe reluctantly followed but paused and grabbed Zach's arm.  
“Bad idea Zach,” Joe said. “Let's go.”  
“Why? What are you feeling?” Zach asked looking into Joe's eyes intently.  
“Nothing! Just...”  
“Are ya lost scrubs?” came a voice dripping with a heavy Brooklyn accent.  
A giant man in a baseball cap, sunglasses, and a long sleeve shirt, as well as pants obviously, stood facing them.  
“Sorry,” Joe said. “Wrong turn.”  
“Did you see any people down here?” Zach asked.  
Zach you fool. Joe thought. This is trouble, bad trouble. Not good trouble. Bad bad trouble. Bad bad bad trouble.  
“There's a girl and boy missing. Wearing tee-shirts,” Zach said and grabbed the man's arm. “Tee-shirtsssssss.”  
The man slapped Zach's hand away.  
“Nobody's been' down 'ere. Now take yer leave!”  
“You sure?” Zach asked.  
“Sorry,” Joe said closing his hand on Zach's arm. “We're going.”  
Zach relented and the two were down the hallway.  
“Joe...” Zach began.  
“Shut it and keep walking with your walking legs,” Joe hissed. Finally when they were back by the bathrooms Joe whirled on Zach.  
“You could have been gotten us in deep. Couldn't you tell that was not a good guy?”  
“Because he was from Brooklyn?”  
“No idiot! And the accent isn't borough specific!” Joe snapped and searched for more sugar in his pockets.  
“You're wacky,” Joe snapped. “That guy coulda pounded you into tomato paste.”  
Zach meanwhile was examining his hand.  
“This is no time for you to be enjoying your hand!” Joe yelled. “It's great you want to be everyone's friend, but this is the real world. Friendship isn't worth getting pummeled by a pummeling man in the back of an all ages juice bar.”  
“So you're not going to help me?” Zach asked.  
“Fight this White Whale yourself Ahabface,” Joe muttered and started to walk away. Zach headed back down the hall towards the New Yorker of ill manners.  
Joe frowned and pursued.

 

Kai Ocean's eyes snapped open. He moved to speak but Aya snapped her hand over his mouth.  
“Quiet,” She hissed.  
Kai nodded and she removed her hand. The two now untied, but still crammed in a tight space, squirmed around as Aya tried to get close to the locked door.  
“What's going on?” He whispered.  
“Shush. I'm trying to listen,” she replied.  
Voices could be heard in the room next to them.  
“How much?” came a brusque voice.  
“Five thousand in cash money,” a sleazy high voice responded.  
“Yeah fine,” the first voice responded.  
“Excellent.”  
Aya wondered what was occurring but that was interrupted by loud noises and yelling down the hall.  
“Someone's coming, be ready,” she said.  
“I...wha...ok...” Kai responded.  
The locker door opened.

 

“I'mmmaa punch you!!” Joe shouted charging at the bulky man he had encountered earlier and knocked him down with a well placed jab. Zach, who had been in the man's clutches, got clear and followed Joe down the hall. They flung open a door to find a room full of thugs and Aya and Kai being pulled from a locker.  
“Counterfeiters!” Joe exclaimed.  
“Oh great, more meddling kids! GET THEM!” the sleazy high voiced man shouted as half the group scattered and the other half moved into action. One of them ran at Joe with an opaque bag in one hand and the strangest looking hockey stick Joe had ever seen, almost as if it wasn't meant to be there.  
“That's not safe!” Joe cried and within seconds the thug was on the ground at Joe's mighty hands.  
Aya and Kai had since attacked two of the thugs, and in a furious exchange of awkward combat the students knocked out the group of counterfeiters. Joe poked his head out into the hallway.  
“The other guy got away,” he muttered and pulled out a sugar stick as he shook slightly and sat down. Zach put a hand on his shoulder.  
“You,” Joe said dumping a pile of sugar onto Zach's collar. “You owe me the biggest container of sticks ever made, horse-face.”  
Zach sighed and rubbed the bloodless wound on his face.  
“Sure thing chum,” Zach said.

 

The next day Joe pushed into the bathroom to find the Orange haired boy who had accosted him in the stall the day before. At Joe's arrival the boy dropped his own sugar stick to the floor.  
“ACH! MY STICK!” the boy shouted.  
“Here have another one,” Joe said quickly handing him one and walking to the sink.  
“I'm See-ya by the way,” the boy said following Joe to the sink.  
“What?”  
“That's my nickname. It's See-ya. Heard you fought some goons last night.”  
“How did you know?”  
“We may all have dial-up, but word travels fast. Nice work you tough man, you meat puncher, you slugging guy.”  
With that See-ya hit Joe's shoulder with his fist.  
“I didn't go looking for trouble,” Joe clarified.  
“No one goes looking for trouble,” See-ya admitted.  
“Can I help you?” Joe asked with exasperation.  
“Joe, do you want to join our gang of violence as a last resort?” See-ya asked.  
Joe frowned.

 

Aya meanwhile was falling asleep in a chair at Fernhaven's police station. Suddenly, Zach's hand was resting on hers. She pulled hers back quickly.  
“You ok?” he asked.  
“Fine! I just didn't sleep.”  
Zach glanced at Kai Ocean, who was sound asleep in the chair beside him.  
“Apparently, he didn't get any either,” Zach observed.  
“Wonder if he ever does,” Aya said.  
A receptionist beckoned. Zach shook Kai awake.  
“Down the hall,” the receptionist said. “The Detective should be right in.”  
The three weakly moved down into the room they were directed to but on the walk Zach briefly brushed against Aya and the two stopped and stared at each other.  
“You ok?” Aya asked.  
“Uh?” Zach responded incoherently.  
“What's wrong.”  
“Uh....”  
“What is it?”  
“Never been to a police station before,” Zach said.  
The three took seats in the room and waited. Finally, a older relatively small Detective with silver hair arranged in a ponytail entered carrying whole binders full of criminals!  
“Hello losers. I thought there were four of you?” she said.  
“Uh...” Zach responded unsurely. “Our friend Joe couldn't make it, but I saw everything.”  
The woman slid into her chair.  
“I'm Detective Ami Jakan,” she said. The three students blinked. “If you wouldn't mind going through our mug shots binders and see if you recognize anyone from last night we would appreciate it. Thank you for cooperating.”  
The three nodded.  
“Now can you describe the tall man you said fled?” Jakan questioned.  
Zach pondered.  
“Baseball cap, short hair, sunglasses, New York accent...thick New York accent. Really tall.”  
“His clothing?” Jakan pressed.  
“Green cargo pants and a black top.”  
“Long sleeve or short?”  
“Um...long...”  
“You sure?” she asked.  
“Yes...yes..I know it!” Zach said confidently.  
“It's worse than I thought...cargo pants....long sleeve shirts...only one man wears them...” Jakan said.  
The Detective stood up.  
“Nick...Marshall...” Jakan hissed.  
“Do you know the big man Detective?” Aya asked weakly.  
“Yes...I'm afraid...” Jakan answered. “You just see who else you recognize.”  
And with that Jakan was out the door leaving the three with the binders. 

 

Later Joe was playing video games when Kai's soccer ball smashed into Joe's bedside table and knocked things all about.  
“ACH sorry!” Kai Ocean cried.  
“Fourth time today butt hat,” Joe responded.  
“Sorry I'll clean it up!” Kai said and set to work.  
“Is this your pencil?” Joe asked holding up, not surprisingly, a pencil.  
“Yes! I thought I had lost it!” Kai revealed.  
“What's good about it?”  
“I um...nothing I just...”  
“Then why do you need it seemingly so badly?”  
Kai Ocean glared at the floor.  
“It's from a girl I like,” he admitted.  
“What's her name?”  
“May.”  
Joe dangled the pencil over a trash can.  
“You ask her out?”  
“No no I'm too nervous!”  
“She go here?”  
“Sure does, but that doesn't matter,” Kai said.  
“You should ask her,” Joe said.  
“But...”  
“Invite her to a movie or something rather than worshiping her pencil.”  
“Give it back,” Kai pleaded.  
Joe rang his tongue along the pencil.  
“ACH! You've defiled it!” Kai Ocean cried and charged. 

 

Aya winced at her continuing headache and double winced at the loud and terrible country music blasting from the dorm room next door. She did hear the knock at her door though in spite of it and opened the portal to find Zach there.  
“Hey...friend,” Zach said with a smile.  
Aya nodded weakly.  
“Can I come in?” Zach asked.  
She nodded again.  
“Late isn't it?” she asked.  
“I am the night,” Zach responded.  
“What?”  
“Nothing.”  
“So uh have you see Kai Ocean tonight?”  
“No why?”  
“Just worried about him.”  
“Oh why.”  
“He's kind of a fool but lovesick too,” Zach explained.  
“For who? Is her name is May?” Aya asked.  
“It is! Do you know her?”  
“Only in passing.”  
“Say can you help me look for him? Just in case.”  
“Finding Kai Ocean just doesn't seem like a good idea.”  
“You're probably right but we should look.”  
“Ok,” Aya agreed reluctantly.  
“You are a platonically validating and supportive person,” Zach said.  
“Uh...thanks,” Aya responded. 

The two split up and covered a lot of ground. Aya eventually found herself on the roof but another student was also present to her shock.  
“Uh sorry to bother you!” she hurriedly said recognizing him as the one who had assisted her in the cafeteria the day before.  
“Is there a problem?” the student asked. “I couldn't hear what you just said, come closer please.”  
She noticed how tall and well kept the other student was as she slowly moved towards him.  
“I was looking for a friend,” she stated.  
“I haven't seen anyone up here on my roofing roof,” he replied firmly. “Hey...” he added.  
Aya's hand froze as his hand covered hers and she felt leathery texture of a black glove.  
“Are you in class 123?” He queried.  
She panicked, pulled free and ran down the stairs leaving the boy alone instinctively turning back to see he did not pursue but instead was winking at her. She rushed to descend and predictably collapsed into Kai Ocean at the bottom of the stairs.  
“Ah hi Aya! I enjoy a good collision,” Kai said lying on the floor as she stumbled up. Kai reached for his bag of potato chips to find most were scattered all over the floor. He finally stood.  
“I..was...looking for you...dweezil!” she snapped.  
“I just was having some Kai Ocean chip time,” Kai said.  
Aya's frustration and anxiety was clear.  
“You ok?” Kai asked. “You seem kinda mad. And your face's red.”  
“I'm fine,” she said while glaring. “What about you? Zach was worried about you.”  
“Zach is a worrying worry-man. I'm ok. I feel bad about hitting Joe, but I feel ecstatic about these chips.”  
“I gotta go,” Aya said. “Glad you're ok...”  
On the way back to her room her mind was racing.  
What is even going on? Aya thought. Strange guys on the roof. Kai hitting people. Locker nonsense.  
What is all this? She was trying to go unnoticed and in one day all that was out the window. Big time. It would have been cause for doubt without the kidnapping. She collapsed onto her bed. I already had to use my powers, but Kai didn't notice. Now I'm in social drama with gloved guys, and weird guys, and tough guys, and doofy guys and...her head still hurt.

Another day passed only to find Joe staring into the small mirror and wincing in his classroom.  
“It's not that obvious,” Zach said.  
“I look like I got totally my butt kicked.”  
Zach went silent.  
“Kai Ocean said he was sorry. I saw him at lunch” Zach said.  
“He will be sorrier when I find him,” Joe said rubbing his injured cheek.  
“Um...maybe chill,” Zach said. “He's a had a crush on May for years and he loves her pencils soooo much.”  
Like that matters to me. Joe thought. I thought I was the problem in this school. Nope. These weirdos.  
“What's that bruise under your chin?” Zach asked.  
“Oh that,” Joe said and looked over at the strangely behaving, and as of yet unnamed student, in the back of the room who was asleep. “Your friend there decked me when I tried to talk to him at the club.”  
“I see,” Zach said turning in the student's direction.  
Joe twirled a candy bar in his fingers as he contemplated whether he could safely go to the bathroom without running into See-ya.  
“Humans enjoy chocolate,” Joe said and tossed the bar at Aya's desk. Aya weakly looked up from her homework and pushed the candy to the edge of her desk.  
Shocker that Aya is sullen today. Joe thought.  
“Hey, you done with my mirror?” a girl asked approaching.  
“WE SURE ARE!” Zach said with an inappropriate level of enthusiasm and gave it back to her.  
“You get in a fight or something?” the girl asked. “Wait...you're the guy from the club!”  
Joe dropped his head onto his desk.  
“And you're Zach right?” the girl asked. “Someone was looking for you.”  
“What?” Zach asked.  
“He didn't know your name or anything but he described you perfectly,” she said and looked at Joe. “Do you stick?”  
“I stick,” Joe said. “Why?”  
“The guy was looking for a skinny guy who sticks,” the girl continued.  
What is going on? Joe thought.  
“Hey...now that you mention it...” the girl continued. “Kimmy!” she called to one of her friends. “Who did that guy outside the gate who isn't suspicious at all say he was looking for?  
“Uh...I think another guy an a girl...said the girl had long hair,” Kimmy replied.  
“A girl with long hair! He could only mean you!” the girl said turning to Aya.  
Joe winced as his stomach inverted and then reverted.  
“Um, what did this guy look like?” Zach asked.  
“He didn't look like a student. Come to think of it this really is something that should have given me greater pause in retrospect...” the girl said. “Anyway he looked in his twenty, big, sunglasses, Cargo pants, long sleeve shirt...friend of yours?”  
“Cargo pants...long sleeve shirt...?” Zach said.  
“NICK MARSHAAAAAAAAAAAALL!!!!” He cried.

 

TDemons Talks:

“Today on TDemons we learned how important it is to respect other people's possessions,” Kai Ocean said.  
“You're kinda over the top though with this,” Zach admitted.  
“Respecting other people's property and personal space is a key to a functioning society!” Kai snapped.  
“Uh...”  
“Yeah personal space Zach, personal space. Not everyone wants to be touched and that's ok,” Kai said.  
“I was just trying to help. You punched a guy over a pencil.”  
“People shouldn't be messing with other people's pencils Zach. It's not nice.”  
“Neither is punching people.”  
“Violence is a last resort.”  
“It was your first resort! Don't hit people either kids. Even if they steal your pencils. Tell a teacher or a police officer,” Zach said. “See ya!” 

End Credits:  
DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMONS! COMING YOUR WAY...  
...Hey hey.  
DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMONS! DARKNESS FADES AWAY...  
...Ey Ey.  
Those demons. Together they fall apart...  
Those demons. Together they will start...  
…living tonight.


	3. Episode 3

“Hey everyone it's T.D. the talking demon, here to tell you what happened in Chapter 2! Aya got kidnapped with Kai Ocean but Joe saved the day against some nasty counterfeiters. Then the cops showed up, but this strange man is hanging around school! Stay tuned for Episode 3 of TDemons!”

Opening Theme: (Which you can actually hear here sung by NeilaK20: https://soundcloud.com/s-elkins-1/tdemonsintro1mp3)

“Have you everrrrrr....  
Wanted to soar like Bees!  
Let yourself goooooooo...  
and fly fly fly!!!!  
Friendship will protect you from the daaaaarkness at hand.  
TDemons...protect the laaahaannand!!!”

 

The figure stood in the darkness once again moving his note cards.  
“Hmm...” he remarked and shifted them a few times. “Yes.”

“Hey there's a motorcycle outside!” came a shout of nowhere.  
Aya, Joe and Zach ran out to a hallway window of the school. Aya frantically scanned the terrain outside. There was indeed a motorcycle.  
“Not a motorcycle! Oh no oh no oh no. JOE!” Zach cried.  
“What? You think this is my fault dillweed?”  
“But it's the guy! We've gotta call the cops!”  
“We don't know it's him, Zach,” Joe said.  
“But...Cargo pants and motorcycles...”  
“Quiet you,” Joe said and glared hiding his fear behind anger. “A motorcycle and expository women do not mean anything. We're not calling in anyone.”  
“But...”  
“Look if you're wrong and we call the cops they won't help us when we really need it.”  
“Are you afraid of cops? They told us to call if we saw anything.”  
“Don't question me!” Joe snapped. “This is all your fault because you had to play hero!”  
Aya stood in silence consumed by worry.  
“Wait and stay on school grounds,” Joe urged. “We'll figure this out.”  
With that they headed back to class.  
Aya spent the day very worried an distracted. Why did she go to that stupid club? Zach had asked but she had been trying to be nice even though she knew better. Now someone was after her and might even know about her. He must have seen it. He must have seen it. Why would he be here except to find her? He's too obvious to just go looking to fight some kids for revenge. But he's trying pretty hard. He must know. She kept imagining horrible scenarios. But realized a crowd of people was at the hallway window.

“Did you see the guy?” Someone asked.  
“But that's his bike.”  
'Someone said he ran across the track during gym.”  
“That sounds dumb!”  
He's on school grounds. Aya thought and sweated. She looked out at the bike which now had a lock on one of the wheels. A man she recognized from the police station was on a cell phone. <>  
She rushed for the stairs.  
“Aya!” a voice cried.  
She was lost in thought.  
If the police are here they can protect us>  
“Aya!” she heard again as she reached the stairs.  
I gotta tell them what is happening!  
“Aya!” she heard a third time and a hand closed on her wrist, and she realized it was Zach just as she realized she had missed the stair she was aiming for...

Back in a hallway Joe had found See-ya and grabbed him with both hands. The other boy blinked.  
“I require the further company of men, I will join your gang.”  
See-ya brightened and he grabbed Joe's hands. Joe quickly withdrew.  
“Yo! Just yo man,” Joe said. “Just take me to the leader later okay?”  
“Radical,” See-ya responded and laughed.  
Joe headed back to his classrooms dramatically staring ahead.  
I am too cool for this. He thought and sat down. He grabbed a pen and watched in horror as it shook.  
Shaking pen! He thought and slammed it down on the desk before running his hands through his hair.  
Gotta chill gotta chill. He thought. He could hear the other students in the class gossiping about the days events.  
I'll be safe at school. This isn't Japan or something. He thought. What was that guy all about anyway? What did he want? Did he want revenge? Did he just like fighting. I gotta chill. Joining this gang is stupid. Gangs are bad, but maybe just this once I can get backup to deal with this strange guy, and then never again because gangs are dumb. 

“Hey looks like Aya an Zach went to the hospital for stitches!” a voice said in the distance. Joe perked up at the unnatural background noise. 

The rest of the day passed and he was soon following See-ya off school grounds. The other boy was rambling about gang members and the rules of the gang but in such an incoherent manner that Joe didn't hear a thing. They were soon on the subway to travel across the vast expanse of Fernhaven.

“Hey,” See-ya said.  
“What?” Joe asked.  
“You want some sugar packets?”  
“No,” Joe said. “Got enough sugar as it is.”  
“Hah, well too bad man. Bekool guys get the best pure sugar right off the boat!”  
“Bekool?” Joe asked.  
See-ya paused. “The gang?” “Bekool is our gang name.”  
Joe sighed. Idiots. He thought.  
“Sorry,” he said. “I didn't hear you before.”  
“Yeah it's a great name. I think.”  
Joe refrained from pointing out it wasn't.  
“Does Bekool have any colors or anything.”  
See-ya shrugged. “No really, but one of the signs you're in the gang is something white tied around your left wrist.” He held up his own wrist adorned with a zip tie. “Cool huh?”  
Eventually the pair were off the subway into a dingy part of town.  
“Over here, Jo,” See-ya said leading him across the street. Joe sauntered after him watching as See-ya entered a restaurant named “Rise.” Joe noted the sign looked hastily painted and the R almost looked like a K before modification. When Joe finally entered he could see some people sitting around eating, and a few more asleep and snoring on a bar to the left. See-ya was talking to a well dressed bartender. The bartender turned towards Joe.  
“Who are you!?” he barked.  
“It's cool Ken,” See-ya said. “He's with me.”  
“Why don't you take him downstairs,” Ken suggested.  
See-ya and Joe headed into a back room. Soon the gang member had pulled up a rug and was tugging a handled panel from the floor revealing stairs. He motioned for Joe to go first then he followed.  
“Ken owns the restaurant. He'll let you in the back.”  
The basement was huge and well designed with a big room an a hallway. There were boxes and crates, and couches and chairs and a big futuristic television. There was a mess of wires from various Nintendo's scattered about.  
See-ya headed down the hallway, an Joe followed through a door at the very end of the hall. A teenage boy sat in a beat up recliner. He was looking at the TI-86 Calculator in his hands and didn't seem to notice anyone was there.  
“Mikey?” See-ya asked. “I brought him.”  
“Brought who?” Mikey asked pounding calculator buttons.  
“The guy I told you about, who got in the fight...” See-ya continued.  
“Do you have Timmy's game on you?”  
“Oh yeah,” See-ya said pulling out a game cartridge from his pocket.  
“Yeah put it away, always put away other people's things,” Mikey said tossing him a key.  
“Ok sure.” See-ya said.  
Mikey looked over Joe.  
“Come back in ten minutes,” Mikey told See-ya. The gang member left slapping Joe on the back as he did. Joe winced, but looked over the short teen in front of him.  
“What was your name again?” Mikey asked.  
“Joe Olson.”  
“And you beat up some guys yesterday?”  
Joe shrugged.  
“You stick?” Mikey asked. Joe handed Mikey a sugar stick from his pocket and started sucking on one himself.  
“Let me tell you the truth,” Mikey said balancing the sugar stick in his lips.  
Joe waited.  
“This is a gang of complete stumpnoggins. A few guys can fight. A few guys can pick locks. Most can't do anything but suck on sugar like it was an illegal drug and make buttnecks of themselves.  
“Buttnecks?” Joe asked.  
“I made it up,” Mikey replied.  
“How many people do you have?” Joe questioned.  
“300.”  
“How's your street cred?” Joe asked. “You got a tough rep?”  
“Mine or the gang's?” Mikey asked.  
“The gang's.”  
“It's good, because the old gang was tougher than rusted nails on fire,” Mikey responded and sucked down from sugar. “Let me tell you a story. You heard of Seiryuu?”  
“I'm guessing another gang?”  
“Yeah from other countries and stuff. Hence their exotic mysterious name. They were vandals. We stole things. But we were hardcore. We'd mess you up.”  
Interesting. Joe thought staring blankly.  
“Anyway, that's the gang I joined when Tad was in charge. Seiryuu caused some big accident by not looking both ways before they crossed and the cops took them down leaving us in total control of the region. But Tad had to leave because the cops were onto him too so his brother Brad took over, but Brad doesn't do anything. He just lets everyone in. We're terrible now.”  
Joe dropped his sugar stick to the floor in surprise.  
“I see what you mean.”  
“Yeah. If you beat up a guy, you're tougher than most of the guys here.”  
“I didn't really...ok....well counterfeiting is a harmful thing that damages our economy,” Joe said.  
“I heard.”  
“I didn't go looking for it, it just happens. I don't like trouble. I like not trouble. I may have more trouble now too with some guy.”  
“Some guy? All the counterfeiter's got arrested.”  
“It was another guy. Big guy with sun glasses. Was working as a bodyguard or something. Police didn't pick him up.”  
Mikey paused and raised his eyebrow.  
“Sunglasses and baseball cap?”  
“Er yeah.”  
“Wow, you met the Brooklyn Slimeball.”  
“The Brooklyn what?”  
“You're fine. He's not after you.”  
“How do you know?” Joe asked.  
“Because he's got his own problems.”  
“What kind of problems.”  
“Darned if I know consarnit,” Mikey admitted. “Point is he's up to his gills in water filled with sharking sharks. He's not after you. Anything else bothering you?”  
Joe waited.  
Do I believe him? I don't know him. He thought.  
“He asked about me? What do you think of that?”  
“Don't know. Maybe he likes your sense of style. Maybe he needs your help? Maybe he likes getting his butt kicked.”  
Joe paused.  
Well I guess he has a point. He thought. Still gotta be careful if this guy has danger all around him.  
“Is he connected to organized crime?”  
Mikey snorted. “You kidding me bro? He's in deep trouble. No one wants to help him out.”  
Joe relaxed. This seemed to make sense. He thought.  
He sucked down some sugar.  
“You overdoing it on the sug-sug Olson?” Mikey asked.  
Joe dropped the sugar stick.  
Mikey pulled his calculator back out.  
“Get the freak out,” he said.  
“There has to be more to this gang.”  
“Nope. Ken will let you back here if he's working. Don't you tell anyone where we are. You need something you talk to me, not Brad got it.”  
“Thought you said Brad is in charge.”  
“I also said he doesn't do anything. You come to me if you need something.”  
“What do you mean if I need something?”  
“You go to Fernhaven High right?”  
“Yeah.”  
“So do I. I'm A Sophomore If you need sugar you go to See-ya. If you need information, find me at fifth period lunch.”  
“All right. I'm out,” Joe said and moved to exit.  
“Wait.”  
“What?”  
Mikey stepped up and held out a hand to Joe. “I have to show you something. Hold out your hand.”  
“What?”  
“Just hold our your hand suckweasel!”  
Joe got within range of Mikey and reached for Mikey's hand.  
“I told you to reach out your hand, not grab mine hand grabby!”  
Joe did as he was asked.  
“Now make a fist.”  
“Is this a secret handshake?”  
“It is, but you are making talk about it, and I'm not sure I like you. Make a frigging fist!”  
Joe did. 

Aya stared at the ceiling of the Fernhaven General Hospital ER. People were chattering, and phones were ringing. It was a hospital these things happen. She sat in a chair clenching her fists.  
Of all the times to go falling down stairs. She thought. When we're being stalked by Nick Marshall. The Nick Marshall. I put us all at risk. I watched out of the back of the cab but Nick didn't show up but still.  
“Aya?”  
She opened her eyes and looked at Zach.  
“I called Kai, but Joe I couldn't reach but he's tough he'll be fine.”  
She turned away from his gaze.  
“Hey,” he said resting her hand on hers. “It's ok.”  
Please don't touch me. She thought. But he did use his jacket to stop the bleeding ugh. He's a good guy but.  
“Really. It's ok. We just have to trust the police. They told us they caught the guy.”  
I don't believe them. Aya thought and sighed before bolting up.  
“Do you need something?” Zach asked.  
“Bathroom.”  
“Don't forget where we're sitting,” the school nurse sitting near by said. “And keep that bandage from getting wet.”  
Aya finally reached a bathroom and opened it revealing urinals.  
“Urinals...” she muttered cautiously and backed out. “Oh a co-ed bathroom?  
How progressive for this time period,” She remarked and went back in. She headed for the farthest stall but paused when she heard crying.  
Now what do I do? She thought. Do I call a nurse. What do I do? It sounds like a guy. Maybe he'll be embarrassed she took a long breath and finally approached the door looking through the gap in it.  
“Are you...okay?” She asked opening the door and recognizing their school uniform.  
The boy turned towards her. His eyes were wide and bloodshot, his hair all mussed.  
It was the strange boy from her class.  
“Aya!” he said throwing himself at her. He was on his knees looking up at her trying to grab her blouse with his fists. He cried looking up at her.  
“Help me!”  
Aya froze.  
“No, no forget what I said,” the boy added seconds later seemingly calming down.  
“But...”  
“No forget it,” the boy said.  
“But.”  
“Trust me,” the shaking boy said. “It's fine. I have to go.”

Joe was relaxed as he left Rise. The subway ride was almost nice. He got off a stop early so he could walk to school. He started to hum as he made it through the busy street.  
He stopped in a men's store a block away and bought a watch with a white leather wristband.  
“Watches will never stop being important,” he said putting it on his left wrist.  
He played video games in the school lounge and went to sleep awakening at 10:00 A.M. the next day.  
Welp. Guess I'm missing school today. He thought.  
“What's this? A note?” he said noticing indeed a note had fallen off his bed.  
“We were worried about you,” he read aloud. “Zach wants to talk to you. I can't wake you up. From Kai.”  
Joe sucked down a sugar stick, crumbled up the note and tossed it onto a table.  
Glad I don't have a cell phone so jerks can call me when I'm doing Joe stuff. He thought.  
Guess I'll go to school after all. Lunch and afternoon classes. He took a shower. He got dressed. He made it to the cafeteria and watched a fight erupt over bread.  
The cafeteria had a little courtyard that was unimpressive. He sat down. The girl he had taken an interest in was in the courtyard as well. She was sending the guy with her out on an errand with money and he departed. Soon she was sitting next to him.  
“I know you stick.”  
“You stick?”  
“Sometimes,” she said accepting a stick he offered her. “Depends on how dangerous I'm feeling.”  
Somehow this made her more interesting. Joe thought.  
“Nice manicure,” he said.  
She held them out more and he held her hand.  
Calluses? Calluses? He thought. This woman has calluses!  
“Where'd you get these done?” he asked.  
“Salon nearby.”  
“They do haircuts?”  
“Sure, you want a new stylist Joe Olsen?”  
He looked at her. Their eyes met.  
“You know me?” he asked.  
“Everyone knows about you fighting counterfeiters, but we also collided before.”  
“You still haven't told me your name,” Joe said.  
“Misty Heart.” she said. “I am also your upperclassman.”  
“I am looking for a new stylist, my other one is 40 minutes away.”  
“I can tell you care about your appearance. Don't you care about not looking macho for the boys?” she asked.  
“I punch stereotypes like they're wooden blocks,” Joe responded.  
“Nice watch,” she said. “One sec. Chanti!” She called to a girl inside. “Did you get my message?”  
Joe sat awkwardly. The two girls finished their conversation.  
“So Misty do you like clubbing?” he asked.  
“What?” she asked.  
“Do you like clubbing?”  
“I like to dance, but only in the clubs where I can blend in and not be noticed.”  
“Me too.”  
“Then maybe we should go be not noticed somewhere together sometime,” she said.  
A non-platonic invitation! Joe thought happily.  
“You always in this lunch?” Joe asked.  
“Sure am slugger,” she responded.  
“Gives me an excuse to skip it then,” Joe responded.  
She laughed and waved and headed off. Joe checked her out.  
She's smart and has a great personality. He thought.

TDemons Talks: 

“Today we learned how important it is to be nice to each other. Joe made a bunch of brand new friends just because he was willing to give them a chance,” Zach said.  
“Yeah, we all sometimes can be afraid to try to meet new people because maybe they won't like us, but ya know a lot of people will and these could be friendships that will last forever,” Kai added.  
“Zach supported me when I went to the hospital and it made it easier even with something as scary as stitches!” Aya said.  
“Also remember if you're being stalked, travel in public places or join a gang,” Zach said.  
“Wait no,” Aya said.  
“Oh yeah, don't join a gang,” Zach said. “See ya!” 

End Credits:  
DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMONS! COMING YOUR WAY...  
...Hey hey.  
DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMONS! DARKNESS FADES AWAY...  
...Ey Ey.  
Those demons. Together they fall apart...  
Those demons. Together they will start...  
…living tonight.


	4. Episode 4

Opening Theme:

“Have you everrrrrr....  
Wanted to soar like Bees!  
Let yourself goooooooo...  
and fly fly fly!!!!  
Friendship will protect you from the daaaaarkness at hand.  
TDemons...protect the laaahaannand!!!”

“Hey everyone it's T.D. the talking demon, here to tell you what happened in Chapter 3! Joe joined a gang and met a woman. Some other stuff happened too. Stay tuned for Episode 4 of TDemons!”

Episode 4

It was a darkened room. The figure moved in shadow carefully lining up cards in order, sometimes shifting them, sometime adjusting them as they piled up in certain places. Finally, he placed the last card.  
“Today...” he said quietly. “It's time to say hello...”

Kai cried a lot as he stood among the black clad people all around him. They continued to pass by giving their condolences as he clutched a framed photo of his parents.

“It's ok sport,” his uncle said placing a hand on his shoulder. Kai didn't agree. The adults began to converse.  
“Poor Kai, will he be staying with you?”  
“Yep once, I clean all the old copies of Teen Vogue out of the guest room.”  
“Why do you collect those things?”  
“It calms me.”  
“We're sorry for your loss.”  
“Thanks for coming.”

Another adult knelt down and gripped Kai's shoulders.  
“You're going to be all right. Men have to be strong at times like these, and all the times, men are the strong, we are the men. Never forget that in your interactions with people and as you negotiate the social landscape.”

Kai's lip trembled and the tears continued. 

“I hear you're a really good archer. You should go to archery camp.”

Kai sniffled. His uncle slid back to his side.

“Thanks for coming Doctor Hash.”

The archery obsessed man sighed.

“Where is his sister though?” Hash asked.  
“We're not sure...” his Uncle replied.  
“She should have been here.”  
“This isn't the time.”  
“You don't have time for this with your job at the Hat Factory,” Hash said.  
“It'll be fine.”

Kai meanwhile started to wonder where is sister was as well. The line of adults continued.

Back in the present Aya returned to her hospital room. Zach popped out of the chair he was in.  
“You ok?” he asked.  
“Did you know we had co-ed bathrooms now?” Aya asked.  
“I didn't.”  
“We do.”  
“Oh but..”  
“I need to rest,” Aya said. “Can we get out of here?”  
“The Doctor came by while you were in the bathroom and said he can discharge you whenever you're ready.”  
“Convenient timing,” Aya responded.  
“Heh, don't knock it. With our health care system I didn't expect to see a Doctor the whole time we were here,” Zach replied.  
“Unexpected social commentary,” Aya muttered. “Let's go.”

Back in her dorm, she couldn't sleep, all she could do was dream of that strange man that had attacked her. Though it wasn't her memories, it was the description she had been given, but it was still horrible. The nightmares continued an she eventually gave up and started reading, fighting tears. 

She awoke with a murmur as Zach nudged her.  
“Wha...” she said.  
“You slept through every class,” Zach said.  
“Cool,” she groaned.  
“Not cool, academic performance is...”  
“Shut up.”  
“You need to eat something,” Zach said putting a white round donut without a hole on her desk and a bottle of tea on her desk. She looked at him.  
“It's a donut,” he said and quieted himself.  
She dug in to the donut...and drank the tea for awhile. Meanwhile Kai staggered into the room looking unimpressive. He noticed Aya's drowsy status.  
“You ok?” he asked.  
Zach waved his hand.  
“It's all good bro, no need to overcook your worry cheese,” Zach explained.  
Kai reached into his book bag and tossed some candies onto the desk.  
“They're chewy candies. Chewing and swallowing helps me calm down,” Kai declared.  
“I'll bet it does,” Zach whispered.  
“Eh?” Aya asked looking at the packages.  
“Nothing, just examining,” Zach quickly said.  
“These are cherry flavored?” Aya questioned.  
“Cherry is a good thing to che...”  
“No,” Zach quickly interjected.  
“Thank you Kai,” Aya said. Kai nodded and headed out.  
“Aya,” Zach grabbing her hand. “I think I know someone who can help you?”  
Aya drew her hand back.  
“Help me?” she stammered.  
“I don't know what else you were dealing with, but you've had so much else to deal with now with cops and hospitals and doofuses and their chewing and...if you don't want to talk to me, sure I understand, I mean I totally don't because I am a nice guy, but I mean there's someone else who can help you,” Zach rambled.  
A memory snapped into her head. That kid in the bathroom yelling.  
“Help me!”  
She looked back at his seat, which was empty.  
“That guy who sits in the back,” she said calmly. “Was he in class today?”  
“Wait, why?” Zach asked.  
“I was just curious,” she said.  
“Now that I think of it, no, I don't think Kevinator was here,” Zach said putting his hand over her. She quickly withdrew it.  
“Kevinator...are you guys friends?”  
Zach scraped his chair back causing Aya to jump.  
“Don't worry about that, right now. You need to focus on your life,” Zach opined.  
“I didn't ask you how to live my life,” she hissed.  
Zach stood.  
“You're right. Sorry.”  
He paused.  
“Look I'll go if you want me to. I think what you're going through is too big to handle alone. Possibly too big to handle with a group of good people and a shady priest, but that's not the point. If you need me to go sure. But please let me introduce you to someone who might be able to help.”  
Aya paused thinking.  
This would be great should thought. He's just too weird. Or is he. I don't know. He means well, but he's just...  
“I'll go,” she said.  
Well that was a short internal debate. What is wrong with me? She thought.  
“Come on, we'll take the subway!” Zach cried happily.  
She stood up weakly.  
“Where are we going anyway?” she asked.  
“Have you ever heard of Jesus?”  
“That guy...” Aya muttered.

Joe was leaning out his window with a sugar stick protruding from his mouth. His mind was fixated on Misty.  
She's physically attractive and interesting in other ways, as if that mattered. He thought. I don't know if I want to deal with that kind of thing right now.  
There was a knock on the door. He moved to the door and opened it revealing a figure he had never encountered before. A tall upperclassman. Their eyes met. Joe felt really strange.  
The knocker's eyes widened. The pause continued.  
“Hmm,” the visitor said. “Who are you?”  
“How about you tell me who you are,” Joe said defensively.  
The upperclassman smiled.  
“My name is Tom Kamashita, from Japan, I am ethnic and I have different ways than you do,” he said. “I am a Resident Assistant. I seek Kai Ocean.”  
“He's not here. I think he's doing things.”  
“Any idea when he will return?” Tom asked.  
“No, I'm not his secretary.”  
Tom leaned in trapping Joe against his door.  
“If I remember the dorm assignments, you are Jo Oda.”  
“My name is Joe Olson!” Joe growled.  
“As you wish,” Tom said deviously.  
“Is Kai in trouble or something?” Joe asked.  
Tom backed away.  
“Nothing like that. I was asked by about ten people with lives I can't say I envy to see if he wants to join our archery team. Archery is a real big deal at this school as it is in life,” Tom explained.  
“I bet he misses his target a lot,” Joe responded.  
“On the contrary, he is despite appearances, quite able to hit the bulls-eye.”  
“Is this all you needed? I can tell him you came by.”  
“This town can be a dangerous place. You should choose your allies more carefully.”  
“I don't have allies.”  
Tom looked at Joe's white watch.  
“It was a gift from a....my favorite watchmaker!” Joe lied and winced at the weakness of his deception.  
“A lot of people will waste their lives Jo Oda,” Tom said. “Most of them attend school here. Don't be one of them.”  
With that he handed a business card to Joe.  
“I'll think about that, and it's Joe Olsen,” Joe said.  
Tom left leaving Joe to read the card.  
He's from one of the most powerful and richest families in town! He thought.

Aya's eyes snapped open.  
“We're here,” Zach was saying as the subway slowed. She followed him out of the subway and into another part of the city. She felt exhausted and was reeling from another dream.  
“What's the matter?” Zach queried.  
“Nothing,” she lied.  
Zach led her down some streets, and she tried to keep up but drifted off to her latest nightmare. I had been in an insect jar. She realized. How awful.  
Zach stopped. To Aya's surprise she discerned they were standing in front of a church.  
“OH COME ON! This is the last thing anyone needs!” she snapped.  
“Now now. You will see,” Zach said.  
“Maybe I shouldn't go in if I'm not Christian,” Aya said.  
“Nonsense, Christians are welcoming and understanding people,” Zach responded and led her inside.  
They went to find a man mopping the altar as he listened to headphones. Zach wandered over and tapped him on the shoulder.  
“JESUS CHRIST!” the man shouted and whirled. “Oh hey Zach!”  
He looked over Aya.  
“Is everything ok?” he asked.  
“Don't know Father,” she said.  
“Father is such a formal term, you can call me Daniel.”  
“Zach said you can help me, maybe,” Aya ventured.  
“I can certainly try. They say I'm a good listener,” Daniel responded. “And I have a lot of free time, as we're not a very popular church in these parts...not since St. Benedict's opened up...Father John...just really brings them in....”  
“Daniel please,” Zach said.  
“Yes yes! Never mind!”  
One of the pews creaked drawing their attention.  
“Hello! Who's there?” Daniel called, but after no response walked towards it. He looked down.  
“KEVINATOR!? What in the name of Noah's Ark are you doing here?”  
Aya froze remembering her encounter. Zach hurried over to help Daniel pull the boy up.  
“We have beds in the back, let's take him there,” Daniel said and the two helped Kevinator into another room. Daniel exited the same room soon after. Aya ran to him.  
“I need to tell you about last night,” she said.  
Why am I doing this. She thought.  
After she recounted the story in what felt like a flashback scene from her favorite cartoon. Daniel paused.  
“Do you think he overdid it on sugar sticks?” he asked.  
“I don't..know...but...” she paused. “Wait...you were in my dreams.....” she realized as she froze.  
“Wait what?”  
“I've been having nightmares and you were in them looking at me! Like everyone!”  
She ran for the door.  
What am I even thinking? It's just a dream.  
She ran around the neighborhood at a full run but somehow found the subway station and knocked someone aside.  
“I am sorry for the collision!” she shouted weakly an dived into a subway car.  
I must be losing it. She thought.

The next day Joe found much of his homeroom class not in homeroom but Zach was there looking sad.  
“Girl trouble?” Joe asked.  
“Girls are nothing but...” Zach muttered.  
“Wait what?” Joe asked.  
“Yeah I mean, ya know right? Like...women...right?”  
“I'm going to back away from this conversation,” Joe responded.  
“Wait don't go. You got my messages I had Kai bring you?”  
“Yeah apparently the police caught Nick Marshall,” Joe responded. “Thanks.”  
“I need to check on her.”  
“Aya? Is she sick.”  
“I don't know, she's barricaded in her dorm and won't come out.”  
“Barricaded?”  
“Yeah I took her some place and then things happened and she won't open her door and talk to me like because I dunno women.”  
“Zach...” Joe said. “You gotta chill man you're getting all weird and like those guys on the internet.”  
“You're blocked,” Zach said. “Ahem I mean...”  
“Hey wow. Look,” Joe said. “Talking isn't the answer to everything. Look you probably just freaked her out by coming on too strong and violating her boundaries and being a nougathead.”  
“That's all undeniably true but I still want to help her!”  
“Yeah well see if you look back at what you just agreed to...” Joe said. “...you gotta chill and let her work some things out.”  
“Oh you're one to talk mister..um...um...” Zach sighed and sat down.  
“Yeah I thought so,” Joe said.

Hours later Joe emerged from the subway until his home neighborhood. He stuck a sugar stick in his mouth and wandered past a noodle joint. A bunch of teens outside noticed him.  
“Hey, lend me a cigarette, chief,” one of them said. Joe shrugged and kept walking. A flashlight was flicked at him. He kept walking but realized he was being followed.  
“He wants a sugar stick you rude rascal!” one of them called.  
Rude rascal? Joe thought. That is fighting words but I have no time for that.  
They kept following him. He spun.  
“This is my last stick,” Joe said.  
Their flashlight came onto his wrist.  
“It's A WHITE WATCH!” they shouted and charged him.  
“Bekool are losers! We're the Seiryuu!”  
“Oh heck,” Joe responded.  
The toughs beat him up quiet bloodlessly but painfully.  
“You are nothing! Seiryuu rules and Bekool drools!” one of them shouted.  
“You're terrible people with few career prospects,” Joe gasped  
Suddenly, the beating stopped. Soon his assailants were lying unconscious except for one who rushed at a new arrival on the street. Within moments he was on the ground as well motionless.  
Joe stumbled backward but he recognized who had joined him.  
“It's okay Jo Oda,” Tom said gently. “Do not be afraid.”  
Tom pulled out his cell phone.  
“Hello 911, yes hi how are you? There was a dreadful fight here at the corner of Dandelion and Tesla streets. Please send police and ambulances.”  
Joe listened as Tom finished up the call.  
“I don't need an ambulance or a hospital,” Joe said. “And it's Joe Olsen!”  
“Oh fine, but let me help you to a clinic,” Tom said and helped Joe rise. They walked cautiously towards the clinic.  
“This is what I meant about allies,” Tom said.  
“I don't need a lecture.”  
“You didn't need a butt kicking either,” Tom replied.  
Joe sighed.  
“Thank you for helping me,” he finally said.  
“I am here to help. If I'm not helping I'm not smiling,” Tom said. “But Joe take heed. This city is in the middle of something...something big. It's very easy to get dragged into something you aren't ready for. Please consider my offer to help before it's too late.”  
“I'll consider it,” Joe said.  
“Thank you,” Tom responded. 

Aya finally climbed out of bed after hours of being curled up under her covers. She moved to her desk with what little energy she had.  
What were these dreams? She thought. They were so vivid. So many people. And now...Daniel was one of the people in them...who else might be? Who can I even trust right now?  
She scribbled on a notepad some thoughts but found herself drifting to sleep only to awake to a knock.  
I fell asleep. She thought. Oh no. Now what?  
“Ayase, are you ok? Please?” came the familiar voice of Zach.  
She looked at the clock. It was nearly 6:45 a.m.  
“Please I'm sorry for everything and Joe and like 20 other people on the internet said this is a bad idea and they're right but I'm here worried and well meaning and that makes it ok, please just...don't give up and...”  
“Leave me alone!” Aya screamed.  
“Point taken!” Zach responded and the pounding stopped.  
She sighed.  
I have to get out of here. She thought.  
A key turned in the lock.  
“Oh no,” Aya gasped. The door opened to review an upperclassman student.  
“Sorry to surprise you, I'm Misty Heart, your roommate.”  
“N...nice to meet you,” Aya said.  
Mitsy laughed.  
“You seem jumpy. Too much sugar or is it that guy?”  
Aya didn't say anything.  
“I saw him from the end of the hall. Poor deluded soul.”  
Aya still was quiet.  
“Some guys are doofuses, the rest of them are...worse,” Mitsy said. “My house is nearby so I'm not here much. Don't steal my stuff and we'll do fine.”  
The phone rang and Mitsy answered it.  
“Yes I'm coming,” she said and headed for the door grabbing some things as she did.  
“Hope you fell better,” she said to Aya and exited.  
I know what I need to do. Aya thought.

She was soon storming into the church.  
“Who are you?” She demanded as Daniel whirled.  
“I'm the Priest that runs this place,” Daniel answered unsurely.  
“How did you know that thug who attacked me at a club?”  
“Who?”  
“You know who? The one recently arrested. He likes long sleeves!”  
“Oh him.”  
Aya was grabbed from behind suddenly and found herself in a head lock. She looked up to see who she had feared. The same bad character who had attacked her at the club.  
“Bug girl!” her captor shouted.  
Aya screamed.  
“NICK MARSHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!” 

TDemons Talks:  
“Today we learned about the importance of public transportation,” Kai said.  
“Yeah you can fight pollution, save money, and keep traffic congestion down,” Zach added,  
“If you don't take public transportation...whether it be train, monorail, or the lowly bus, you are contributing to the death of us all,” Kai added.  
“And if you don't have public transit options, write to your member of Congress, or bribe them,” Joe said.  
“Hey wait,” Kai responded.  
“What? It's worth it to save the planet!” Joe snapped. “See ya!”


	5. Chapter 5 Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of 3 of Chapter 5 of the 90's Dub of Tokyo Demons

Opening Theme:  
“Have you everrrrrr....  
Wanted to soar like Bees!  
Let yourself goooooooo...  
and fly fly fly!!!!  
Friendship will protect you from the daaaaarkness at hand.  
TDemons...protect the laaahaannand!!!”  
“Hey everyone it's T.D. the talking demon, here to tell you what happened in Episode 4! Aya got grabbed in a church by a guy with a hat! Stay tuned for Episode 5 PART 1! 

Episode 5 Part 1  
It was a darkened room. The figure moved in shadow carefully lining up cards in order, sometimes shifting them, sometime adjusting them as they piled up in certain places. Finally, he placed the last card.  
“Hmm...well that was unexpected.”

Zach was in a church fiddling with a gold cross around his neck as people filed out of the service.   
“Hello there,” came a friendly voice. Zach looked up to see the blonde priest who had given the service there smiling. Zach tensed.  
“I uh...I uh...I don't want to burn in the pits of...!” Zach stammered.  
“Worry not, that's what I'm here for and hours and hours of regimented repetition. That is a beautiful cross,” the Priest said.  
“When I was put up for adoption this is the only thing I had, I don't know if I am Christian or if my parents were...or...”  
“I should hope they are Christian, I should hope you're Christian too...because Christianity is where it's at. It's cool and the only way to not lose everything in when your earthly form is over. But I digress,” the Priest said. “You're searching for your parents?”   
“Maybe,” Zach said. “I don't know I just want out of my foster home.”  
“I am a Priest you can trust me,” the Priest said. “If you want to elaborate.”   
“I just had a good foster family, but then I got moved to another and it isn't as good. They're like...they have other problems and my foster mother doesn't understand. I have this weird thing I can do when I touch people. It makes me think I'm crazy. It's like a power.”  
“A weird thing when you touch people?” The Priest said. “Well that's...”  
“I don't mean...in a bad way it's just...weird it's not...satanic.”  
“Sounds satanic.”  
“I um...oh...I should go.”  
“Look,” the Priest said. “You're not crazy.”  
“Oh.”   
“You need to be saved from the demons inside you that will ultimately destroy your soul but that has nothing to do with being crazy.”  
“Oh.”  
“Be well my son,” the Priest said. 

Back in the present, Joe emerged from the clinic around midnight. He stuck a sugar stick in his mouth and breathed in.  
“SUGAR,” he said and sighed.   
He thought back to Tom leaving him in the waiting room and his arguments with Mikey. He just wanted a bubble bath filled with the scent of lavender.   
He hailed a cab and was soon returning to the dorms of the school. A large group of students was outside for some reason. They were dressed as if they had been out at the club.   
“JOE! Over here!” came a cry.   
Misty appeared out of the crowd in an outfit that drew his attention.  
Dang it. Joe thought. I am so tired, but this is a woman and I as a man have no choice but to take interest for I lack counter-programming to my socialization. I must pursue this female.   
And that he did.  
“Are you ok? Did you get in a fight?” she asked.   
“Sure did. I was mighty,” Joe responded. What am I saying? He muttered.  
Misty pulled out a tube from her purse.   
“Here use this to cover up those bruises. You'll scare people,” she urged.   
“I don't like that scent. You can't come up at me with cream scents. I use florals and nothing else,” Joe snapped.   
“Well aren't you the thug,” she said. “ You get in a lot of fights and are very picky about your lotions. If I didn't know better...I'd say you were a brigand.”   
Joe shrugged.   
“I am a mountebank,” he admitted.  
“You need to be careful. Don't want your face to be all banged up.”  
“May!” Misty called. “Can you take our picture?”  
A girl with a blonde ponytail and an athletic build bounced up. Misty noticed.  
“She your type Admiral Obvious?” Misty snapped.  
“No. No. My roommate has a crush on a girl named May, was wondering if that was her.”  
“Who is your roommate?”  
“Never mind that.”  
“Oh come on,” Misty said.   
“Kai Ocean,” Joe finally admitted.   
“The dumbnut? Ahem I mean the archer who won all those tournaments?”   
“I guess, we don't really talk about archery much. It's not like we're all standing around in our boxer shorts talking about archery, that's not what we men do.”   
“I'll bet. May plays soccer, perhaps they met at sports camp.”  
“Oh yeah. Sports camp,” Joe muttered. “Always sports camp.”  
“Why don't you come out with us tonight? We're going to the fruit juice party at a house run by nuns,” Misty said.  
“What day is it even?”   
“Friday...are you ok?”  
Joe rubbed his head.   
“It's been a WACKY week,” Joe murmured.  
“Maybe you should get some sleep, you sound like you hit your head and hitting one's head is awful and deserves much attention and people sending the affected person money.”  
“What?” Joe asked.  
“Oh. I don't know what I meant there” Misty said.   
“I think I need to take a rain check.”  
“What the heck is a rain check?” Misty asked.  
“That is a good question even in the nineties, I mean can we do this another time?”  
Misty smiled.  
“Yeah, we can. I'll see you later.”  
She sauntered off to join the other women.  
“Objectifying...man it's awesome,” Joe said to himself and staggered back into the building.  
Kai was up when he arrived and reading a copy of Jet.   
“HOLY SNACKS! JOE! Are you ok? You're all butt kicked?”  
“You will never have a happy life or be loved,” Joe snapped and collapsed into bed.   
“We have a first aid kit somewhere,” Kai said and rummaged around.  
“I was at a clinic, they said I'm fine, leave me alone Kai.”  
“Do you want my Orange Hi-C?” Kai asked.  
“GOD NO. Who wants that? They taste worse than Peeps!” Joe said.  
“SHUSH! Don't insult Peeps good lord. You want to be killed?”  
“By who?”  
“Never mind! Just shut up about the peeps.” Kai said.  
“Kai...DON'T BREAK THE FOURTH WALL WHEN I HAVE A HEADACHE!!!!”   
“Sorry!”  
“Look it was a misunderstanding. Some guys thought I was another guy, but I was this guy, and this other guy kicked their behinds with fisticuffs.”  
“Is this because of a few days ago?”  
“I don't think so.”  
“I meant to thank you for that.”  
“What?”  
“For help...”  
“Don't worry about it.”  
“Do you get into fights a lot?”  
Joe shrugged.  
“I don't mean to be up in your business like a swab in an ear, but...if you needed help.”  
“I don't fight because of life problems!” Joe snapped. “Stuff happens and when stuff happens you gotta respond with stuff.”   
“I know all about stuff happening and stuff and using the stuff to stop the stuff. We all have stuff...”  
“I saw May today.”  
“Oh.”  
“She's cute.”  
“I enjoy her appearance and think thoughts about her,” Kai responded.  
“I'll bet. I'll admit,” Joe said. “You're not so ugly she wouldn't consider you for spooning.”  
“I like spooning,” Kai said and drunk his Hi-C.

Meanwhile at the church Aya was struggling and kicking in the grip of Nick Marshall.  
“Hey stop screaming!” Nick yelled. The struggle continue. Aya panicked.  
I need to break free. I NEED TO BEE FREE! She thought and burst into a million pieces.   
She could see everything. The floor was now below her, fragmented views filled her. She had become bees. She was all over the ceiling. She was roaring as her wings carried her. She was everywhere. Daniel and Nick were below her in shock. Her uniform was on the floor. They could see she was a monster. A bee monster.   
“BLIMEY!” Nick shouted. “You can turn into BEES!?”   
Aya calmed, but anger arrived.  
You knew I could become bees. You wanted to be my beekeeper Nick Marshall. She thought. This is all your fault. No one will be my beekeeper, especially you scum!   
She swarmed at him, stinging and stinging.   
“EGAD! BEES!” he shouted and swatted at her, hitting some of her and causing her pain.   
“STOP! Get her offffffa me!” he howled.  
Daniel was trying to protect him with altar cloth.  
“PLEASE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD! STOP! HE DIDN'T KNOW! WE CAN EXPLAIN!”  
BEES ANSWER TO NO GOD! Aya thought and started stinging Daniel as well.   
She was distracted by a sound and made out another figure staggering in the doorway. She flew some of herself at him until she realized who it was.  
Kevinator!?? She thought and froze.   
Run! She tried to scream but couldn't.   
“Ayaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....” he stammered.   
More pain. Nick had grabbed the altar cloth and swept much of her to the floor and started stamping on it. He ignored the sounds of thunder in the background as his boots dug into the sacred fabric and the bees beneath it.   
Kevinator was standing there weakly.   
“Ayaaaaaaaaaa!” he cried.  
She surrounded him with herself, and took human form and as she stood there framed from shoulders up she glared at the two.  
“GET AWAY!” she screamed. They looked at her strangely.  
She paused.  
“I am...nude...” she remarked.   
“And I have no left arm...” she added before collapsing.


	6. Chapter 5 Part 2

Opening Theme:  
“Have you everrrrrr....  
Wanted to soar like Bees!  
Let yourself goooooooo...  
and fly fly fly!!!!  
Friendship will protect you from the daaaaarkness at hand.  
TDemons...protect the laaahaannand!!!”  
“Hey everyone it's T.D. the talking demon, here to tell you what happened in Episode 5 Part 1! Joe and Kai had a talk and Aya stung some people that deserved it Now Episode 5 Part 2! 

The next morning Joe felt like he'd slept inside a waffle iron. Everything hurt. But despite his hooligan nature he didn't like skipping class even on the Saturday half day the school's required. Truancy was noticed far more than arson.   
He looked in the mirror and realized he looked terrible. I would draw attention to not cover up so he grabbed some tulip scented lotion and rubbed it all over. He downed some coffee and ibuprofen at the same time and headed to home room. He noticed Kevinator, Zach, and Aya or the Trouble Nuggets, as he thought of them, were all missing.   
When he staggered back to the dorm, Kai tackled him.  
“Joe you sweet smelling enigma! You were right! You were right!”  
“HEY!” Joe shouted back. “HEY! NO TOUCHING UNLESS I SAY SO!”  
“Sorry,” Kai said backing up “I just thought we were men..and...”  
“It is BECAUSE we are men that we need to be careful,” Joe responded.  
“How do you mean?” Kai asked.  
“I'm not going to explain the internet to you.”  
“The what? That thing the U.S. Military is working on?”  
“Forget it!”   
“Anyway yes May likes me. She wants to meet up, She came to me!” Kai said excitedly and grabbed a piece of paper. “I should have asked her out years ago. All those nights I stayed up thinking about her, all those stories I wrote about her...all those times you were at class and I was here and...”  
“HEY! WHERE IS THIS GOING?”  
“...I meant I wish you could just find out for me...what did you think I meant?”  
“I think you are going to ruin all our lives,” Joe snapped and grabbed the paper out of his hands.   
“KAI OCEAN. I've been thinking about you for awhile, but didn't know if you wanted to see me. Can we meet up tonight? How about 2 am in Bear Park by the statue of the Bear, Sincerely May.” Joe read. “Bear Park? At two am?”  
“I know tonight!” Kai exclaimed.  
“OK IDIOT. Bear Park is not a good place at night. It's not a good place during the day either for that matter. It's just bad. Bear Statue is right in the middle of it. This is weird.”  
“BUT IT'S A GIRL! WHAT COULD GO WRONG?” Kai stammered.  
“I just don't want you to get pranked or something. It doesn't sound legit,” Joe said.  
Right,” Kai said clenching his fists. “Because if a girl likes me it must be a joke. Well we aren't all Joe Olsen! We don't just have women running up to us in the streets and demanding make out time in the back of a Chevy Caprice!”   
“When does that ever happen!?” Joe shouted back. “Look I sorta mentioned to a friend of hers that you were interested in May, but even so...”   
“But then it all makes sense!” Kai blurted.  
The phone rang. Kai dove for it and pulled it to his face.  
“Hewo?” he asked. “Sure he's right here. Joe it's for you.”  
Joe answered.   
“Well hello there Joe,” Misty's voice greeted him.  
“Uh hi,” Joe responded and then pointed at Kai gesturing to the door. Kai shrugged but the started to head for the door.   
“THIS IS JOE TIME. Get out of here,” Joe hissed.  
Kai exited.  
“Oh did you want privacy?” Misty asked. “Are you going to whisper sweet nothings to me?”  
“Yeah probably. You seem up to something though. I can't figure out what,” Joe responded.  
“I'm up to a lot of things,” Misty answered. “You joined Bekool, you can get the idea what we do.”  
“WE?”   
“Mikey didn't tell you? Wow.”   
“You're in Bekool?”  
“In it? I was had of the Disruptive Girls.”  
“Ah,” Joe answered.  
“But I left the gang because they stopped being good at anything. Seiryuu is gone and the people left are just losers.”   
“Seiryuu isn't gone. I got my butt kicked by a bunch of them last night.”  
“What?” Misty asked.  
“Yeah.”  
“Wow. I didn't know. That hasn't happened in so long.”  
“I have the butt whupping to prove it.”  
“I'll let Mikey know.”  
“Well good.”   
“I have to get going,” Misty said.  
“Wait just a sec. Did you talk to May last night about Kai?”  
“Honestly I didn't. I forgot in the moment. I was going to. Why?”  
“She apparently dropped a note for Kai today. To meet him.”  
“That's odd, she didn't even come home last night. Usually when that happens she's asleep at a friend's house rather than walking home at 4 a.m. But honestly I can't keep track of her or anyone. So whatevs,” Misty said and hung up.   
“The plot thickens!” Joe shouted. “What the heck am I saying!”   
Kai returned a few minutes later with his hair wet and his toiletries I his arms. Joe looked him over.  
“You have a body on you Kai,” Joe noted.  
“Thanks...er...”  
“I guess a woman or two might want to send you a note to see it in the dark.”  
“Wait...is that a compliment?”  
“I don't know,” Joe muttered. “Look I have a feeling you're going to that park no matter what I say, so be careful.”  
“Sure thing dad,” Kai responded.   
“Don't make me swing a chair at you.”  
“What?”  
“Nothing.”

Aya was dreaming about becoming bees. When she was a kid, when she was growing up, and then just a few days ago when she was attacked. Kevinator was there, Zach was there, and then she was crushed under a boot waking up suddenly.  
She looked around suddenly at the strange bedroom she was in. There was a crucifix on the wall. She was naked but in the sheet. She looked down at her arm and gasped.   
“My arm...it's still not all there...OW!!!” she hissed. One of her bees was in a jar. She grabbed it quickly and freed it drawing it back into her. She was still woozy and dropped the jar. It shattered.   
Still she was almost her self. She heard movement and hurriedly dressed herself. The door opened after some commotion outside and Zach was shoved inside, then the door was slammed.  
“I'm sorry I'm me!!!” he shouted.  
Aya glanced at him.  
“Look you're not in any danger. I know that's hard to believe. But Daniel says that Nick Marshall is under the protection of the church and that whole thing before was just a bad misunderstanding. The police are involved and everything. And I know he's telling the truth because...”  
“Why are you here?” Aya snapped. “What are they going to do to me? Why are you trying to help them!?”  
“Look when I bumped into you at school that first day I knew you were different. I knew you were holding in something big. I wanted to help you. I mean yes, ok I don't understand boundaries. I have things that are not cool, and I need to figure them out, but LiveJournal doesn't exist yet so I just gotta work through it. But I thought I could be a friend anyway and maybe help you through this. Daniel has helped me with my own situation. It's like yours.”   
“It is different,” Aya snapped.   
“May I show you? May I touch you?” Zach asked.   
“This is a bad idea,” Aya said but let him touch her hand.  
“You are mad, but surprised, and scared. Panic, something bad happened, you don't want it to happen again and...”  
Aya pulled her hand free.   
“What are you doing???”   
Zach grabbed her hand again.  
“BOUNDARIES!!!!” Aya snapped.  
“You feel like you're going crazy. You're not crazy. You can become bees. That's your thing. You're the Bee-woman. I'm the touching guy.”   
“You...need...to stop talking...” Aya hissed.  
“You're not crazy and you're not alone,” Zach said.   
Aya sighed.  
“Don't be scared,” Zach said. “There are a lot of people like us.”   
Zach let her go.  
“You...have issues Zach. You gotta ya know...get that checked.”  
“But I was right?”  
“I guess they told you about the bees.”  
“I'm sorry,” Zach said. “Yes, but I knew you were hiding something. The bees just made it all clear.”  
A knock on the door interrupted.  
“Hello?” Daniel called. “Is everything all right in there? Are you sinning?”  
“I won't attack you again,” Aya responded.   
“Excellent,” Daniel said coming through the door. Zach watched and winced as Aya smacked the Priest.  
“OW!” he shouted. “HEY!”  
“Ok now I'm done,” Aya snapped.   
Zach winced again.  
“I see your arm is doing better, but...we couldn't get all the bees back I'm afraid,”Daniel lamented.   
“I've never had any destroyed before,” Aya growled.  
“I”m sorry, he was attacking you in self defense. I tried to stop him. If there is anything I can do to ease the pain I will do it. Nick has been in danger for a long time. He foolishly took that job and this whole mess started. I can't ask you to forgive him but I would like to explain everything if you'll let me,” Daniel said.  
“Do you want me here? I can go,” Zach asked.  
“I don't know about you but I really don't know about them...so please stay,” Aya said.   
“Let's go have some tea!” Daniel said leading them through the door.  
“What kind of tea?” Aya asked.  
“Lipton,” Daniel responded.  
“I'm already in enough pain as it is,” she muttered.

It was 1:40 in the morning and Joe was in the back of a cab. Joe paid the cabbie and exited, pulling a dark hood around his face as he entered Bear Park. There was a crescent moon and very little light making his trip through the park difficult.  
“Typical moon, always letting people down,” Joe muttered and finally reached the bushes near the Bear Statue. He watched Kai lingering by the statute. A figure stepped into the clearing around the Bear.  
“Are you Kai Ocean?” she asked.   
“Yes...um...”   
A dark shape dropped out of a tree and right onto Kai.  
Joe fell back in surprise but got back up to see Kai fighting with a figure in a black trench coat. Joe paused as more figures ran out from behind trees.   
Too many to fight. Joe thought.   
The group tackled Kai. Soon they had started to drag him away. Joe at this moment noticed the assailant in the trench coat had fangs.   
FANGS? FANGS? Joe thought in shock. But he followed the group.   
A car rolled up outside and they shoved Kai into it. Joe tried to get the license plate but only saw a few numbers before it had rushed off.  
Joe panicked.  
“NOW WHAT?” He said to himself.


	7. Chapter 5 Part 3

Opening Theme:  
“Have you everrrrrr....  
Wanted to soar like Bees!  
Let yourself goooooooo...  
and fly fly fly!!!!  
Friendship will protect you from the daaaaarkness at hand.  
TDemons...protect the laaahaannand!!!”  
“Hey everyone it's T.D. the talking demon, here to tell you what happened in Episode 5 Part 2! I don't even know...man...I don't even know. Now Episode 5 Part 3! 

“YOU WANT SANDWICHES!” Daniel shouted.   
Aya didn't answer glaring at Nick across the table. Nick was covered with welts all over him.   
Hah. The great Nick Marshall just got BEEED. She thought.   
“You want mayo or mustard?” Daniel asked.  
“I don't care,” she said.  
“Look, you may not like me,” Nick snarled. “But his mayo is terrible. So take the mustard. Also I didn't even grab that other kid, I surprised him and things happen. I put him a locker because I dunno...he deserved it, but then you showed up and I panicked and...look...my army training kicked in and when I panic I shove kids in lockers...and look you just stung me a lot so maybe we're even.”  
“What Nick means to say...” Daniel added. “Is my mayo is fine. But he's also sorry Aya. He took an immoral job and he sinned and he won't do it again, because if he does the church is done with him.”  
“Yeah...that...” Nick muttered.  
“Army?” Zach asked as he unscrewed peanut butter. “Of what country? Where are you from?”  
“New York ya idiot. Where does it sound like I'm from? And I was in the U.S. Army,” Nick snapped.   
“They let New Yorkers in the Army?” Zach asked.   
“Shut up,” Nick replied.   
“Where's Kevinator!?” Aya suddenly asked.   
“He left. I'm trying to find him,” Zach explained.  
“But he was there when I became a swarm and...”  
“He won't tell anyone. He doesn't talk about his own problems let alone anyone else's.”  
“But...”  
“We're pretty sure he has a supernatural ability of his own. He won't tell me what it is. I suspect fleeing but I could be wrong,” Zach mused.   
Aya's mind thought about her own situation and what Kevinator must be going through.  
“I told you, you weren't alone,” Zach said.  
“How long did you have that one bug in the jar?” Aya asked.  
“Since the club,” Nick admitted. “I was going to take it back to the lab.”  
Aya looked at him in surprise.  
“Yes I have a lab, but...”  
“He is doing very important research...” Daniel began.  
“WHICH IS NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS!” Nick snapped.   
“Sorry,” Daniel said.   
“I tried to examine it but couldn't, then I tried to squish it and couldn't then I hit it with a frying pan...and it kept surviving.”   
“I remember now...” Aya said. “You brought people people to look at me. Daniel and two women.”   
“What?” Daniel asked.  
“I can see what the Bees see!” Aya said.  
“The Bees aren't indestructible though, we found that out yesterday,” Daniel said. “Do you feel what they feel?”  
“Of course, the Bees are me. I am the Bee Woman!!!....Dang it...Zach.”  
“Sorry.” Zach muttered.   
“This is fascinating,” Daniel said. “Zach is right. There are many people like you but I haven't heard of someone like you. It's a power like none I know of. It sounds like your cells are different than other people and that makes you capable of doing different things.”   
“It's like a mutation. We're mutants,” Zach said.  
“Best not to use the mutant term too much,” Daniel cautioned. “We don't want to get in trouble with...”  
“I get it. And I'm not a mutant,” Aya snapped.   
“So essentially,” Daniel continued. “Because of science things you are different and special.”   
“Science...” Aya muttered.  
“Are you cheezing me?” Nick muttered. “All of that still can't explain bees.”   
“Never mind that. The police got you didn't they? And why did you come to the school looking for me you creep!” Aya accused.  
“Ok that was dumb of me. I do dumb things some times. Detective Jakan caught me and everything and Daniel here had to help me out,” Nick admitted.   
“Why aren't you in jail now?” Aya hissed.   
“If I go to jail, I'm as good as dead,” Nick said.  
“Why?”   
“Because this is bigger than Nick Marshall,” Daniel said.   
“So you throw people into lockers and come to their schools and...” Aya angrily continued.   
“Yeah what is your problem dweezil!” Zach snapped. “I'm going to call someone!”   
“Who are you going to call?” Nick asked. “You little dung weasel?”   
Aya noticed for the first time scratches on Nick's skin.   
“Wait...what are all those marks? Are you a druggie?” she asked.  
“Drugs are bad children,” Nick muttered. “This is totally different.”   
“Yes, it is not drugs,” Daniel said. “If he used drugs I wouldn't let him into the church because drugs are sin.”  
“Woah, the church is harsh...” Zach muttered.  
“Nick has been trying to learn more about the organization we are up against and...well those scars...” Daniel began.  
'Daniel, with due respect to your priestliness can you shut up. They don't need to know this!!”  
Aya was beginning to panic.  
“Nothing makes sense and you're all just pissing me off! Except possibly Zach!” she shouted.  
“Hooray,” Zach said. 

Elsewhere.  
“911. What is the emergency?”  
“Kidnapping...there's been a kidnapping...” Joe stammered.  
“Your name and location?”   
Joe paused.  
“I saw a kidnapping in Bear Park.”  
“Your name and location will help us...”  
“LOOK CRIME HAPPENED!”   
“Where did this happen?”   
“Near the Bear Statue a few minutes past two.”  
“Who was kidnapped?”   
“A kid at my school. Kai Ocean.”  
“Can you describe what happened.”   
“He was trying to meet a girl and a bunch of guys jumped him. This other girl, May, I don't know her last name she might have been bait or something...there were six kidnappers...one was a lady in a trench coat...stringy hair...some kind of pendant, sunglasses...”  
“At 2 in the morning?”  
“As stupid as it sounds yes....and she had fangs.”  
“Fangs?”  
“I know it...”  
“Have you been drinking?”   
“I'm a teenager, drinking is illegal and subject to fines and possible imprisonment!”   
“Then you're just pranking...don't prank the police...we have the guns son.”  
“No listen.”  
The phone went dead.   
Joe found a cab and got himself taken back to the dorm.   
What am I going to do? He thought. He awkwardly made it back to his dorm room and threw open the door and started to rummage through Kai's things.   
I need to find that letter. To prove to the cops something happened.   
And what was with those fangs? FANGS? FANGS?  
He rummaged through his own pockets pulling out Tom's card.  
“Maybe he can help...maybe they'll believe him..”  
The door started making noises...someone was trying to open it.   
“HEY! GO AWAY!” Joe shouted.  
“JOE IT'S ME KAI OCEAN!”   
“WHAT? HOW?”  
“LET ME IN!”   
“WHERE ARE YOUR KEYS?”   
“WHERE DO YOU THINK!?”  
Joe opened the door. Kai stumbled in covered in dirt. Joe shut the door.  
“What happened to you?” Joe asked.  
“They kidnapped May to get to me. I have two hours to tell all my friends and family I am moving away. There is a guy waiting outside. They'll kill her if I don't join them.”  
He sobbed.  
“I didn't want to do internships until next year!!!! WHAT DO I DO? JOE? JOE? WHAT DO I DOOOOOOOO?”

TDemons Talks”  
“Today on TDemons we learned that going somewhere late at night alone is a bad idea,” Zach said.  
“Even if you are a lonely guy who is desperate for companionship do not go to a park at 2 in the morning looking for it,” Daniel added. “You can find what you need in the lord.”  
“Daniel you PROMISED not to preach,” Aya responded.  
“We also learned that even if you're having a hard time, don't take odd jobs for criminals because then things happen and...” Zach continued.  
“AND I STING YOU UNTIL YOU WEEP AND DOUBT YOUR STEREOTYPICAL MASCULINITY!” Aya cried.   
“It is important for men in this decade to hold onto what little shards of artificial self respect they can get.” Zach said.   
“I'm going to throw my sandwich at you kids,” Nick said.  
“Adults are not to be trusted as they are bitter and make decisions,” Aya added.  
“I don't think this is the moral of the story,” Zach responded.  
“Also remember to have sandwiches as part of a balanced diet,” Daniel said.  
“What is even happening right now?” Joe asked.  
“See ya around!” Zach said.


	8. Chapter 6 Part 1

Opening Theme:  
“Have you everrrrrr....  
Wanted to soar like Bees!  
Let yourself goooooooo...  
and fly fly fly!!!!  
Friendship will protect you from the daaaaarkness at hand.  
TDemons...protect the laaahaannand!!!”

“Hey everyone it's T.D. the talking demon, here to tell you what happened in Episode 5! Kai got kidnapped!”

Nick ran throwing things behind him as he did. He kicked open a gate and rushed towards an auto repair shop. He tugged at the lock of the garage door and the locks holding it broke. 

“Yeah. Garage door. Yeah. You've been Marshalled!” Nick whispered and slid under it before lowering the door again. He breathed, jammed the door and clutched a wrench like it was thin metallic teddy bear. But no one came, much like his past 7 first dates. No pursuers could be heard.

“Why did I come here to this stupid city? When I could have gone to the ball game instead?” he asked himself. He winced and looked at his arm.

“Oh right, I must have bumped my arm in the chase,” he said. 

 

Aya had listened to Zach for hours and somehow wasn't broken.  
“Yeah I realized I was different early on in life, but I had a good foster family and Daniel helped out a lot, it was a pretty happy life,” Zach exposited. “How about you?”

“I'm fine, life was fine,” Aya lied. Zach, still clueless around women, accepted that. “What about Daniel and Nick?” Aya asked.

“Daniel's an expert on the supernatural, I mean our kind of supernatural, not the Jesus stuff. Frankly I think he knows more about special powers than the Jesus stuff,” Zach answered. “Nick I don't know a lot about. He's some kind of guy who does stuff. Used to work in a grocery store, then got into whatever the heck he is into now.”

“A grocery store?” 

“Yeah, that isn't really necessary information,” Zach admitted. 

“What about Kevinator? Do you think he has a power?”

Zach paused.

“What do you know about Kevinator?”

“Only what the last 5 chapters...of my life...have detailed...” Aya responded.

“You consider this to be chapters of your life?” Zach asked.

“Yes, force of habit,” Aya answered.

“I met Kevinator in junior high, he missed a lot of school, kept to himself, I felt he was afraid. It kinda freaked me out, so I asked about him. His teacher inexplicably gave me private medical info about him and I learned he was in therapy and his mother was in therapy and he had a disappointing dog. Still I tried to be friends, but he's not really sociably and defensive. I kept trying to touch him...a lot....too much...to try to get readings...just readings...but he thought I was trying to come on to him which of course isn't right. Men doing things to each other? Like what? Silly. Praise Jesus. Still I did figure out he had a power. Like when I touched you softly.” 

“But you can't tell what power?” Aya asked. 

“Nope, but I tried to help Kevinator and tried to get him to see Daniel, but he didn't seem to trust authority, nor Priests for some reason.”

“Read a newspaper sometime Zach,” Aya muttered.

“Anyway Kevinator comes to church to pray or holy water or whatever I don't know what it is,” Zach said. 

“I wonder what kind of power could haunt someone so much,” Aya said.

“Good question, but dang it's after 3 a .m. Are you tired?” Zach asked.

“Nope. I got a lot of sleep after things happened.”

“I'm not tired either but I'm hungry and I KNOW WHERE THE CHIPS ARE!” Zach said heading for a cabinet. 

“Those are Communion wafers...” Aya muttered. 

“Oh damn...I put nacho cheese on these last week,” Zach said.

“You put cheese on the body of Christ?” 

“I....” Zach paused. “I did...but... 

He was interrupted by his pager going off.

“You have a pager?” Aya asked in surprise.

“Yeah...I hope cellular phones become a thing some day,” Zach said. “Excuse me as I step out of eye-shot to return this.”

“Kai Ocean? What's wrong? I can't understand. What happened to May? Why are you crying? Is Joe there? What is going on I can't understand what you're saying over your shrieking,” Aya could hear him saying. 

Aya nearly spit out the circular donut she had found in the fridge and hurried out of the room to find the shady Priest. She knocked on his door. 

“Something's wrong Daniel,” she said. The door swung open and Nick emerged.

“Aren't you kids asleep yet?” he asked.

“Never mind that, there is skulduggery afoot!” Daniel said pushing past him. The group was soon gathered around Zach as he spoke into the unseen phone. They could hear Joe's voice through the speakerphone setting. 

“Yeah I told him not to page you,” Joe said. “I wish I had Mikey's number. We've got two hours before Kai has to go back with these people or they'll kill May. They'll let he go if Kai works with them.” 

“What does that mean?” Zach asked.

“The heck if I know, and he won't stop crying, he said he doesn't remember much, the trauma got him.” 

“Then how do you know it really happened?” Aya asked.

“WHAT IN HECK'S NAME! AM I ON SPEAKER?” Joe asked.

“Yes, but it's just Aya,” Zach lied. 

“That's why I didn't want to page you. You think I want half our class involved! How could she even help!?”

“I have hundreds of ways to hurt you!” Aya snapped. 

“Because I was there!” Joe snapped. “Kai can you please figure out what happened. I don't care what the mental blocks are, we don't have time! Look like six people grabbed him. They seemed to know what they were doing.”

Nick and Daniel glanced at each other.

“What did they look like?” Zach asked.

“They were just you know people...except for the woman who was a vampire.”

“VA—VA---VA---VAMPIRE?” Zach whimpered. 

“Wait a minute? What did she look like?” Nick blurted into the phone.

“NOW WHO IS THAT?” Joe snapped.

“Nick Marshall,” Zach said.

“NICK MARSHALL!!!!!” Joe screamed. “OH COME ON! Why is here there!?” 

“I'm trying to help you kid, hate me later,” Nick responded.

“I'll hate you now!” Joe shouted. “Anyway she was in here twenties had a pendant...trench coat...”

“Sunglasses at night?” Nick asked.

“Yeah...”

“She's not a vampire, she's just trying to be one, but these are seriously bad people. What could they want with your friend?”

“First, he isn't my friend,” Joe said. “I have no idea what they want from him or what anyone wants from him.”

“Where are you?” Nick demanded.

“Our dorm, room next to mine, I was afraid they might be trying to monitor ours,” Joe said.

“Good thinking. I need to get over there, can you make a distraction. If I arrive at a high school...well...things don't go well when I do...”

“Sure whatever, nothing matters and I hate everything!” Joe snapped. 

“Excuse us a second,” Nick said and he pulled Daniel down the hall. Aya and Zach snuck after them.

“Here's my plan,” Nick whispered in Daniel's room.

“JESUS MARY AND JOSEPH! No!” Daniel shouted.

Aya and Zach edged up closer to the door. Aya was literally leaning against it. 

“You can't send the kid back, especially that kid, he sounds mediocre, you can't make him your operative,” Daniel said.

“It's important, this could be a way to stop them,” Nick said.

“You told me that the only people who should deal with this are specially trained people, not random high school kids!”

“Ideally, but we can send him and monitor him.”

“They'll find a bug!” 

“Not this bug they won't...because the bug...will be...A BUG!”

“What...” Daniel muttered. 

The door swung inward. Aya fell towards the ground only to have Nick grab her. 

“HAH! You've been Marshalled!” Nick snapped.

“God you suck,” Aya said. 

 

Back at the dorm Joe slammed down the receiver.

“They're all imbeciles!” he snapped as Kai was decreasing his weeping on the bed. 

Kai crying in bed. Bet that's how it usually goes. Joe thought. 

“Do they have a plan?” Kai asked.

“They have a stupid plan,” Joe said and rummaged through a book bag finally pulling out a note book. He dialed quickly. 

“WOAH...who is this...?” came a voice on the other end of the line.

“See-ya?” Joe asked.

“JOE? JOE OAK TREE!?” 

“Olsen!” Joe snapped.

“What's up...”

“Can you grab some people, and come to the freshman dorm parking lot?” Joe asked looking at a darkly tinted car in the lot below. 

“For TROUBLE!?” See-ya asked.

“Yeah.”

“I got attacked by Seiryuu and...” 

“I heard.” 

“I think some of their guys followed me to the parking lot,” Joe said.

“Bekool protects their own! We'll be there!” 

“Thanks,” Joe said.

“HEY EVERYONE,” Joe heard See-ya shouting. “It's Bekool Fightin' Time! We're on the way.”

Joe hung up.

“What's going to happen Joe?” Kai asked.

“Don't worry. We're going to take care of this,” Joe lied. “You should clean yourself up, you won't attract any women or men looking like that.”

“Men?”

“I just meant...”

“What did you mean?”

“It's been a long night.”

“Joe?” Kai asked after spending a few minutes cleaning up his face. 

“What?”

“Can we talk about mothers and ghosts now?”

“Er....ok..” Joe said only to be interrupted by whooping and the sound of cars as Bekool roared into the parking lot, many on foot, others in various tricked out vehicles. 

“BEKOOL IS READY FOR ACTION! KOOL OUT YO!” one of them shouted. A knock on the door drew both of their attention. Joe cautiously opened it. 

“What...NICK MARSHALL!?””” Kai screamed. 

“Don't worry,” Aya said. 

“I will worry!” Kai snapped.

“Listen I'm here to help.”

“He seems to know what he's doing,” Aya said. 

“The people who took you are part of a drug dealing operation,” Nick said. “Drugs are bad. They work with the mafia. Leader is a psycho. It's too late to get you out of this. You're all in it now. What I say could keep you alive. The group is called CORM and the drug is called Pitch.”

“Pitch like when a guy...”

“What...?” Aya snapped. 

“Throws a baseball?”

“Don't get caught up on the name,” Nick muttered. “They put them in tablets and make you take them. Kai, that's what they're going to give you. It's like steroids, but it does more it like...modifies...all of you. It's like evolution in a pill that tastes like rancid coffee. CORM keeps everyone loyal by getting them addicted to the Pitch. Drugs are bad. 

“Why do they want me?” Kai asked.

“Not sure. Are you connected to anyone powerful?”

“No. I am totally not important,” Kai admitted.

“Hmm..well it's good to be ok with that,” Nick responded. 

Joe looked at Nick skeptically.

“Here's the good news....” Nick began. Everyone glared. “Everyone...” he continued. “It's possible to escape CORM, and get off Pitch. I've done it and I have a thing that can fight Pitch.” 

He pulled out some bottles. 

“ANTI-PITCH. It blocks Pitch from getting absorbed.”

“It'll keep the Pitch from addicting me?” Kai asked.

“If you take one pill before they give you the Pitch pill, yeah. But you're going to still have the Pitch powers...Aya show him the bugs....”

Aya hesitated and released some of her.

“OH COME ON...REALLY?” Joe shouted.


	9. Chapter 6 Part 2

“So you're bees. Well that's just great,” Joe muttered. 

“We don't have time for this,” Nick admonished.

“Just make sure May gets home ok,” Kai said as he cried and held onto Joe. “It's my fault she's in this. Please protect her.”

“You are protecting her too, by trading yourself for her. That takes a lot of man stuff.” Joe said. “You've got a lot of man stuff in you.”

Kai and Joe's eyes met.

“Don't get in the car until you know she's been freed,” Nick said. 

Kai held onto Joe for another 30 seconds as if they were frozen in place, and finally let him go. 

“Ciao,” Kai said and exited. 

 

“Bye,” Kai breathed and exited. The others watched through the blinds. Aya tensed as she paid attention to her bees. 

“She's ok,” Aya said. “They left her on a couch in the dorm. They have proof.”

Joe relaxed and crunched on a pretzel and zoned out as Aya in the background related details of the trip.

“What does the office building look like?” Nick asked. Joe regained attention.

“I missed that one thing...it's...near another office building and there's an ugh...a restaurant but they're on the highway now.”

“You need to focus!!!” Nick shouted.

“I am,” Aya said and tensed. 

Thirty minutes later the car finally stopped in a garage Aya saw. They led Kai into a building blindfolded, checked him for listening devices and then left him in a room with a bucket and food. 

“Don't do anything stupid,” one of his captors said. “Or else we'll...induce harm.”

“Induce harm?” another captor asked. “That doesn't seem...”

“We'll hurt ya OCEAN!” thee first one snapped. “Like we did that other girl we brought before you! We hurt people!” 

“Aya?” Kai asked.

“He said my name,” Aya reported.

“Get him to cut that out they could be listening in,” Nick said. Aya flew into his ear, which was their “Don't be dumb” sign. 

“Um...mighty Aphrodite, protect me in this time of need,” Kai said.

“He found a really dumb way to communicate with us,” Aya noted. 

“Scout out the rest of the area,” Nick said. And Aya did so. 

 

 

Joe meanwhile had found May

“Hey.”

“What?”

“Hey. Can you hear me? Looks like they drugged you.”

“Who are you?”

“Joe.”

“Joe who?”

“Just Joe for now.”

“Why are you here?”

“Same reason you're here.”

“What happened?”

“That's what I'm trying to ask you,” Joe muttered.

“Who are you?”

“I know Misty. She was worried about you”

“Oh.”

“Do you remember what happened at all?”

“No...what? I mean something happened but I don't know...I'm so confused.” 

“Let's get you to your room,” Joe said sadly.

 

Minutes later he was on the phone with Nick.

“She doesn't remember anything, she remembers something happened but has no idea what, she was definitely tied up at some point,” Joe said.

“How do you know she was tied up?” Nick asked.

“I know when someone's been tied up,” Joe answered defiantly.

“She doesn't remember.”

“She thinks something happened but has no idea what. She seems drugged.”

“Drugging is possible, or it could be they have a psychic,” Nick said.

“How do you know that?”

“This has happened before. Kai didn't remember anything but wasn't drugged...gotta go,” Nick said.

 

Kai meanwhile was being moved through the building. Aya followed him with a bug carefully. Her human self was back at the church resting. A tape recorder sat beside her to record what she saw in real time. She watched as Kai was deposited in a better room and she tried to noted what details she could. She could also hear voices down the hall in the church and she stepped out into the hallway. She could see a new pair of individuals talking to Daniel, a dark skinned man, and a Japanese woman.

“Ah, Miss,” the taller man said. Daniel turned. 

“Aya! Is there news?” he asked. 

“Who are they?” Aya asked.

“Friends, this is Emi, she was in Hokkaido earlier, and this is Zayd.”

“Oh. Great,” Aya muttered. “They moved Kai to a different room but haven't injected him yet. I recorded everything.”

“Excellent!” Daniel exclaimed. “Zayd is a lot like you,” he began.

“I somehow doubt that,” Aya responded.

“He has a supernatural power different and special. I don't understand his religion or culture, but I feel free to comment on it,” Daniel continued. 

“Are you anxious?” Zayd asked Aya.

“A bit....” Aya muttered. 

Aya suddenly froze and dropped and Emi and Daniel dropped as well.

“The heck is going on?” Aya wheezed.

“Don't worry it's just Zayd Magic.”

“Zayd Magic sucks!” Aya cried and collapsed. 

She awoke later to find Zach holding her.

“Hey you ok?” Zach asked. 

Aya croaked. Zach let go of her as she could support herself. 

“Did I faint? Is this Zayd Magic...”

“Yes see...” Zach said.

“Never mind!” Aya snapped and focused on Kai only to find him still asleep. 

“Ok Kai is still asleep,” she said. “But as for Zayd. I'm pissed.”

“They were trying to....” Zach began.

“Help? Intentions don't matter when you do bad things to people! Well intentioned or not, Zayd shouldn't have done that. Intentions don't save you!” 

“I'm sorry I wasn't here,” Zach said. “I won't let them do that to you.” He reached out. She deflected him.

“Ya know...I think you need space,” he said and hopped up. 

“Is everything all right?” Aya asked. 

“Fine,” Zach said. “I need more nacho wafers!” he said hurriedly, bolted up, tripped, and laughed nervously on the way out.

“What is his deal...” she muttered and headed into the hallway hearing voices in the distance. She walked into the main church to find Kevinator in there. He noticed her and moved to speak then stopped.

“Greetings mortal,” he said quietly.

“Everyone has seen me naked,” Aya replied.

“Wha...? Is Zach here?” Kevinator asked. “I have his glasses case. Can you make sure he gets it?”

“Oh sure,” Aya said and took the glasses case. Kevinator with no warning, spun and dashed from the church.

“Was that Kevinator?” Zach asked entering the main church area. 

“It was. He brought your glasses. Why didn't you tell me you needed glasses?” Aya asked.

“I normally wear contacts, the women like that they don't have to look through a window to see my eyes,” Zach said.

“What women?”

“The...uh anyway I can't get lens solution right now, so I need the glasses to see,” Zach admitted.

“Idiot,” Aya said and gave him the glasses case. “Tell me when something's wrong ok? You ask all these prying questions to me! Return the favor you dweezil!” 

“You're right, I'm sorry,” Zach said. 

Aya's expression changed. 

“Get Nick. They're coming for Kai!” 

Soon Nick, Zayd and Zach were listening as she described what she saw. Kai being taken down to a lab, being hooked to machines and restrained. He had taken the Anti-Pitch before they dragged him away. 

“Don't worry,” a women in a lab coat said. “This is science.”

Kai tensed.

“They gave him the drug,” Aya said straining. “How terrible.”

Kai thrashed as it took hold but eventually calmed.

“Welcome to CORM,” the woman said. “You're targeting skills will be welcomed. We're going to make you the world's greatest sniper.”

“Why are you telling him that right now?” One of the men near her said.

“I do what I want,” the woman replied.

Aya was glad the woman had an expository streak, but sad Kai was in her clutches.

 

Elsewhere...  
“WAKE UP HORSE THIEF!” Mikey shouted kicking Joe as he did so.

Joe staggered up from the couch he was laying on in Bekool headquarters.

“You been lying on this couch for too long you couch goat,” Mikey growled. “Now move this is the gaming couch. We just got Street Fighter II. Also get out.”

“What?” 

“No one lives in HQ for more than three days, otherwise people will start to think they want to. So get out of here cheesy nuggets! It's one of Ken's rules.” 

“I really need to lay low, can I talk to Ken about it?”

“Fine, but you annoy me, you annoy me greatly, I am easily annoyed but you annoy me more than those who annoy me generally,” Mikey said. “Corn pirate.”

“Thank you.”

“But you stay out of sight. You'll sleep in the closet.”

“A closet?” Joe asked. 

“Yes a closet Joe! Get used to the closet!” 

“Fine.”

“Now go get my some donuts, caffeine, some cleaning supplies, a dragon hat, and no just those, go now! And clean this place when you get back! You seem neat and tidy!” 

Joe sighed and headed out wondering how Kai was faring as he walked the streets and acquired all that Mikey wanted. He was waiting for an order to be ready while sitting in a chair when he was shocked to find Tom sitting across from him.

“Life throwing you a curved ham Jo Oda?” Tom asked.

“The...he....?” Joe asked. “And it's JOE OLSEN!”

“You've been skipping classes. I was sent to find you,” Tom said. “Clearly you are in some sort of trouble.”

“Life is trouble. Life is suffering,” Joe responded as his order arrived. 

“The word on the street is that there is a lot of dangerous things happening...on the streets...” Tom said and winced slightly. “My lack of delivery aside, I've learned you aren't exactly in a safe position.”

“What exactly do you know?” Joe asked.

“That I can help you. I can protect you from your enemies.” 

“What?” 

“Now I am offering this to you, not to that jerk Zach or that jerk Kai, or that jerk Aya or that jerk...”

“Why don't you vary your adjectives?” Joe asked.

“In a few weeks I will send you something, choose which side you want to be on. My side, or the side that loses,” Tom responded. “Also your fly is open.” 

Joe cringed as Tom walked away.  
“Is everything all right here?” A waitress asked approaching Joe. 

“I think I need to order an extra burrito for the road after that conversation,” Joe said.

“Sure. Friend of yours?”

“No one is my friend,” Joe responded. “I am friendless Joe. But I really would appreciate that burrito, and the check,” Joe added.


	10. Chapter 6 Part 3

Nine days had passed and Aya was slumped in her chair next to the tape recorder.  
“They're taking him for target practice again,” she said and sighed. “Nine days....”  
“Are you ok?” Zach asked from nearby.  
“Not really, but what do you expect?”  
“Yeah I know.”  
“Hungry?”  
“No. You?”  
“No.”  
“Thirsty?”  
“No. You?”  
“No.”  
Aya resumed watching as Kai was brought into a room with Kai's apparent instructor.  
“Look at those arms...dang. Woulda killed for arms like that. I killed for other reasons, but never to take a guys arms from him,” the instructor said.  
“Oh,” Kai said.  
“You enjoying our gym?”  
“It's a gym.”  
“It's a good gym.”  
“Yes it is.”  
“Damn right. Best gym I've ever seen, and I've been in a lot of organizations, CORM, Mafia, AARP. All have gyms. This is the best gym. It'll help you really make the most of your Pitch. Wish I had your arms. I used to be a baseball pitcher. See what I did there, it's a pun.”  
“Is it? I don't think it is. Just a connection of two thoughts with similar words,” Kai responded.  
“Let's just start the training,” the instructor responded. “Now remember, we're training you in how to shoot people with our patented sleeping bullets. You gotta do this right, because they don't work if ya don't do it right.”  
“Yes, sleeping bullets yes...” Kai muttered. 

“He's with that idiot of a gun instructor like we thought,” Aya reported.  
“He's with him a lot,” Zach noted.  
“Well yeah, considering they want to turn Kai into a sniper.”  
“Kind of a mature turn of events admittedly,” Zach responded.  
“As far as I can tell they're just trying to shoot people with tranquilizers using Kai's skill...it's...”  
“Still really dangerous,” Zach said.  
Nick burst in.  
“Yo. We gotta call Jikan,” he said. Emi followed with sandwiches in her hands.  
“You couldn't carry some of the sandwiches too?” Aya asked.  
“I...what?” Nick muttered and grabbed a phone.  
“Jikan?” Aya asked.  
“She's been helping for awhile,” Emi said.  
“Detective,” Nick greeted on the phone and put it on speaker. “Let her know who is here.”  
“Emi here,” Emi said.  
“Zach here,” Zach said.  
“Oh..you,” Jikan muttered. “Are you being useful?”  
“Yes.”  
“Shocked at that turn of events,” Jikan responded.  
“Aya here,” Aya said.  
“Good work so far Aya,” Jikan said.  
Daniel stumbled in followed by Zayd.  
“Daniel and Zayd are here...late,” Nick said.  
“My heart is filled with the joy of a thousand suns exploding unicorns,” Jikan responded dryly.  
“So what can you tell us?” Nick asked.  
“Based on the directions Aya gave us, I have narrowed down the buildings it might be, but there are still a lot to check out,” Jikan said.  
“We're running out of time, Kai is down to his last Anti-Pitch dose,” Nick said.  
“That doesn't change the reality that there are still a lot of buildings to check, it's a big city,” Jikan said.  
“Do you have any helpful information?” Nick asked.  
“You should be more careful with your tone,” Jikan growled. “I can have you a boat to Manitoba by nightfall if I want to!”  
“Sorry we're all just tired,” Daniel said.  
“So someone signed Kai out of school a few days ago, seems like CORM wanted to cover their tracks,” Jikan said.  
“Who?”  
“We don't know, other than it was a woman.”  
“The only family we know about Kai was his uncle and his long lost sister,” Zach said.  
“Could his sister be part of CORM?” Nick wondered.  
“No, she's not,” Emi said. “Because I am Kai's sister.”  
Everyone paused.  
“WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO WOMAN!?” Nick snapped.  
“That's not a progressive remark for these times,” Zach said quietly.  
Nick moved closer to Emi angrily.  
“I...I...it's complicated!” Emi cried. “I thought it might compromise everything...I just...I wasn't sure if I should see him and...because...I was gone...and...”  
“If you had told us sooner, Kai would have been protected sooner...and we wouldn't be doing this right now!” Nick snapped. Zayd moved towards him.  
“You are not helping,” Zayd said.  
“Says Zayd, the helpful man, from gumdrop land,” Nick spat.  
“What?”  
“I'm TIRED!” Nick snapped.  
“Ahem,” Jikan said over the phone. “You all want to figure out this out some other time? Your problems are not my problems. I have my own problems, and my own personal demons, they're in Tokyo...haunting me from afar. No time for yours...”  
“Tokyo Personal Demons?” Zach asked in surprised.  
“Never mind that,” Jikan muttered. “Also we sent a team out to find the hacker and her bodyguard like you asked, but they were gone by the time they got to the mountains.”  
“That's not good,” Nick said.  
“Who?” Zach asked.  
“Not now,” Nick responded.  
“This phone call is over,” Jikan said and hung up.  
Aya meanwhile was frowning.  
“What is it?” Zach asked.  
“Just...the training they're making him do...” she answered and focused on Kai who was lying down firing rifle rounds at a target.  
“YEAHHAHHAHAH that's some major sausage points right there!” the instructor said. “You're sniping it up!”  
The phone rang and the instructor answered.  
“Y'ello? Yes. You got it!” the instructor said. “HEY! Stop practicing and get ready. You've got a mission at 16 hundred hours!”  
“Oh,” Kai said.

“Everyone...” Aya said. “In fifteen minutes Kai's going to be shooting at someone.”  
“With sleeping bullets though right?” Daniel asked.  
“Those sleeping bullets put people out indefinitely,” Nick said. “It's not death but it's not great...”  
“Death is but a sleep no one awakens from, sleep is merely death you can recover from,” Zayd mused.  
“You're strange,” Zach said after a brief pause. 

Meanwhile Joe was lugging piles of garbage out into the alley next to the bar. He smelled himself.  
“I smell like failure,” he said to himself but proceeded to throw the trash and recycling in various places. Joe washed his hands and then downed some sugar sticks, noting however a strange figure at the end of the alley in the same school uniform as his. The figure was examining cars on the street. Joe finally recognized him.  
“Kevinator...” he muttered and approached. “Kevinator!”  
“Joe!” Kevinator stammered turning to face him.  
“This is a bad neighborhood. You shouldn't be here,” Joe said.  
“I'm busy. I have nothing for you,” Kevinator said backing away sweating.  
“I have a question.”  
“I don't know the answer.”  
“I haven't asked it yet.”  
“Then how do you know I know the answer?”  
“You cracking wise with me?”  
“I...”  
They were interrupted by a car skidding up nearby and a gang of ski-masked figures rounding a corner carrying bats.  
Joe grabbed Kevinator and pulled him into hiding in the alley. The various thugs arrived at the front door to the bar.  
“We're here for Bekool. Send them out or we'll set fire to your establishment...with matches!” one of the thugs shouted.  
“This is bad,” Joe said. Kevinator squirmed.  
“Chill,” Joe urged.  
“Navy Blue, Geo Metro, 424-691!” Kevinator wheezed.  
Ken's screams stopped Joe from answering as the thugs stormed the bar.

TDemons Talks:  
"Today on TDemons we learned that Zayd is a jerk," Joe said.  
"Did we? Or are you just using foreknowledge of what happens later to reach that conclusion?" Zach asked.   
"That's not my power, that's the other guys power," Joe responded.  
"How do you know that if it isn't your power!???" Zach asked.   
"I uh...I uh... shut up," Joe responded.


End file.
